Part 2/8:
The narrative begins for many fans around 2000, a year when the effects of steroids in baseball were glaringly apparent. The atmosphere was saturated with performance-enhancing substances—enough, as the speaker notes, to stock a supplement store. The effects of this culture manifested visually, with steroid-related acne becoming commonplace among players. However, all involved parties were aware of the situation yet chose to turn a blind eye. The excitement generated by home runs, epitomized in the celebrated 1998 home run chase between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, brought fans back to the game after the 1994 strike, overshadowing the darker undertones of doping.