Big Mac's Big Scandal

In the Great Home Run Race of 1998, there were two larger-than-life players—Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. At the time, Big Mac and Slammin’ Sammy were chasing the long-standing single-season home-run record of 61 by Roger Maris. From 1961 to 1998, no one hit more than 60 home-runs per season.

It has been said that Mark McGwire, or Big Mac, saved baseball.

Mark McGwire's career in Major League Baseball spanned from 1986 to 2001. While playing for Oakland Athletics in 1987, he hit 49 home-runs. McGwire lead MLB in runs that year as well as broke the single-season rookie record. From seasons 1996-1999 he led Major League Baseball in home-runs. In 1998, he broke the Major League Baseball single-season home run record with 70. In 2001, he finished his MLB career with 583 runs—in only 5,487 at-bats; making McGwire the best at bats per home run ratio in baseball history (Babe Ruth is second).

Mark McGwire, and a host of other Major League Baseball players, changed baseball forever—and subjected it to one of its biggest scandals. In 2010, McGwire admitted to the MLB Network that he took steroids throughout his career, including the 1998 season of the Great Home Run Race.

The media says a “real man” should be big and muscular. Big Mac is just that--big and muscular. However, his use of anabolic steroids--although made from the naturally occurring hormone testosterone--simply supports the pharmaceutical industry and exacerbates male

stereotypes.

Why do so many people in American culture, like Mark McGwire, refuse to be satisfied with the natural limitations of their bodies? Why isn’t fulfilling one’s personal potential good enough?

I suppose the answer can be found in the ways in which media portrays “perfection” while simultaneously praying on the negative body image of individuals.

At this point, it is very difficult to be satisfied with one's self because there is always someone who is bigger, faster, and stronger. These people have exceeded their natural limitations through the use of steroids or supplements. How

Unsurprisingly, over 5 billion dollars is spent per year in advertising by the American Pharmaceutical industry. The result—Americans spend 250 billion dollars per year on drugs—the United States spends the most out of all countries.

While steroids and performance enhancing drugs are controversial, it is simply unfathomable that Congress spent more time discussing the use of steroids in baseball than the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, and Healthcare combined.

There are some people who are pleased by the outcome of the steroid scandal, as sports revenue has since increased. Former steroid user, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the chairman of the president’s council on physical fitness. While Arnold Schwarzenegger wants increased performance enhancing drug testing in professional sports, his personally sponsored bodybuilding show goes untested.

It is evident that consumers influence and support enhanced athletes, just as in politics. It is evident that the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports is a hot-button issue that cannot afford room for nuances lest some try to exploit loopholes for gain.