Part 2/10:
In a sport that celebrated its 150th anniversary that year, the stark rise in home runs became a focal point of debate among fans, players, and analysts alike. The league witnessed an unprecedented number of balls flying out of the park, with 14 teams setting franchise records for homers. The Minnesota Twins led the charge with an astonishing 307, easily shattering the previous record of 267 homers. For the first time, over 4% of all at-bats concluded with a home run—an alarming statistic that left many questioning the integrity of the baseball being used.