Roger Maris Jr. congratulates Aaron Judge on 62nd home run

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge smiles in the dugout after hitting home run No. 62 to break the American League home run record. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Roger Maris Jr. on Aaron Judge's 62nd HR: 'We can now celebrate a new clean home run king!'

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 10/4/22

It was a historic moment for New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Leading off for the Yankees against the Texas Rangers, Judge took a hanging slider that clocked in at 88 miles per hour and cranked it into the left field bleachers. As the ball landed 391 feet away into the hands of an extremely lucky fan (who is already getting offers of $2 million for the baseball), Judge accomplished American League history.

A few nights ago, Judge tied former Yankee Roger Maris on top of the American League leaderboard for most home runs in a single season with 61.

On Tuesday night, Judge passed Maris and is now the undisputed American League home run king. Maris died in 1985, but his son, Roger Maris Jr., is around and he offered Judge heartfelt congratulations on Twitter.

Congratulations to Aaron Judge and his family on Aaron’s historic home run number 62! It has definitely been a baseball season to remember. You are all class and someone who should be revered. For the MAJORITY of the fans, we can now celebrate a new CLEAN HOME RUN KING!!
— Roger Maris Jr (@RogerMarisJr) October 5, 2022

Maris Jr. isn't referencing his father as the "dirty" home run king. He's clearly talking about Barry Bonds, who holds the MLB single-season home run record with 73 home runs in 2001.

Bonds, of course, was the face of the "steroid-era" of MLB baseball along with Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. McGuire hit 70 home runs in 1998 while Sosa was right behind him with 66.

It is interesting to note that while Roger Maris Jr. clearly called the likes of Bonds out, he did show reverence to Bonds just a tweet before the one he sent out to Judge.

"Barry Bonds is the best baseball player ever," Maris Jr. tweeted. "What Bonds did in 2001 was the most dominate hitting performance ever. I know Bonds is the single season home run champ (73) based on the CURRENT record books. Home run records have been SEPARATED before … I like Judge better!!"

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