Who is responsible for doping in professional team sports?
fundamental | alter | conflicted | substitute | compound
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Do the Math
Do the Math
As of 2018, Barry Bonds held Major League Baseball’s record for career home runs. Many people feel conflicted about this fact. On one hand, Bonds is a great athlete and the record is a historic accomplishment. On the other hand, Bonds has been accused of using chemical compounds to illegally alter his body. This kind of chemical abuse goes against fundamental sports ideals, like sportsmanship and fair play. Before Bonds, Hank Aaron held the home run record. He was a role model to other athletes and was one of the best players of all time. Some people think Barry Bonds is a poor substitute for Hank Aaron.
Option 1:
Option 1:
What percentage more home runs did Barry Bonds hit than Hank Aaron?
A. 5% more
B. 2% more
C. 12% more
D. less than 1% more
Option 2:
Option 2:
Roger Tobin, a physicist at Tufts University, estimated that steroids could help a person hit 50% more home runs. Let’s assume he is right. If a player hit 762 home runs on steroids, how many home runs would he have hit without the 50% increase that steroids provide? (For example, we’re assuming a person who hit 15 home runs on steroids would have hit just 10 home runs without steroids. Ten, increased by 50%, becomes 15.)
Discussion Question:
Discussion Question:
Steroids alter the body in fundamental ways, such as increasing muscle mass. Are they responsible for baseball’s record-breaking performances? Famous batters Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire have both admitted to using illegal compounds, and the list of famous players caught up in the conflict over steroids is growing. Should Major League Baseball try to substitute clean players for the ones who built their bulk with the help of steroids? Or should we accept that steroids were part of that era, and focus on the future?
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