Babe Ruth’s 60 homers against all white players? Authentic. Wasn’t his fault. Barry Bonds’ 73 homers when many players were using PEDs and every element of the game was geared toward more home runs and owners were cashing the biggest attendance checks in baseball history? Inauthentic.

And so it goes on and on. Records set on amphetamines taken out of fish bowls in the clubhouse? Authentic. Records set on steroids when nobody was testing? Inauthentic. Records set by hitters who corked their bats? Authentic. Records set by pitchers who scuffed and cut and spit on baseballs? Authentic. Records set by players who quietly used PEDs but weren’t officially caught? Authentic.

Judgmental nostalgia