“Thedefinitivestory“(TylerKepner,TheNewYorkTimesbaseballcolumnist)ofYankeessluggerAaronJudge’sincredible,unparalleledruntobreakRogerMaris’shomerunrecordandthefranchisebothmencalledhome.AaronJudge,thehulkingsupermanwhocarriedaneasyaw-shucksdemeanorfromsmall-townCaliforniatostardomintheBigApple,hadlongestablishedhisplaceasoneofbaseball’smostintimidatingpowerhitters.Baseballsfrequentlyrocketedoffhisbatlikecannonfire,dispatchingheat-seekingmissilestowardthe“Judge’sChambers“seatingareainrightfield,sendingdeliriousfansscatteringforsouvenirs.Buteveninahigh-techuniversewherecomputersmeasureeachswingtothenthdegree,RogerMaris’sAmericanLeaguemarkofsixty-onehomerunsseemedlargelyoutofreach.Ithadbeenmorethanadecadesincebaseballwipedcleanthestainsofitsperformance-enhancedera,inwhichcartoonishsluggersMarkMcGwire,SammySosa,andBarryBondsmadeamockeryoftherecordbook.GivenamorelevelplayingfieldagainstpitcherssportinghellaciousarsenalsunlikeanythingBabeRuthorMariscouldhaveimagined,onlyanexceptionaltalentcouldevenconsidermakingarunatsixty-onehomers.Judge,whoplacedthebetofhislifebyturningdowna$213.5millionextensionontheeveoftheregularseason,promisedtorisetothechallenge.“Inthemostthoroughtellingyetofanall-time-greatYankeesperformance“(JeffPassan,NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthor),veteranYankeesbeatreporterBryanHochunravelstheremarkablejourneyofJudge’sruntoshatterMaris’sbelovedsixty-one-year-oldrecord.In-depth,inspiring,andwithanexpert’sinsight,62alsoinvestigatesthemoresignificantquestionsraisedinaseasonunlikeanyother,includinghow--andwhere--Judgewilldeliverhisencore.
