"Man, can you imagine living here?" Howard says, shaking his head. "I sure can't. It's crazy."

Howard, wearing a casual golf shirt and jeans, jaywalks across the street like any Florida tourist. He is a big man, 6-4, 252 pounds, but no one takes a second look. He can be anonymous in this art deco district.

Yet as the Phillies first baseman in his first full big-league season, Howard has become the next Rocky Balboa, the pride of Philadelphia, an underdog throughout his professional baseball career. He leads the majors with his 56 homers and 138 RBI and has 19 games still to play, with a spot in the playoffs on the line.

Howard, 26, is constantly stopped on the streets in Philly, in the supermarket, even at the car wash. Women hold up signs at Citizens Bank Park with marriage proposals. One fan last month rushed onto the field and bowed while Howard stood in the batter's box. Another time a fan stopped him during bites of sushi, pleading for a picture.

"I've never seen anyone in the major leagues who is treating the game almost like an oversized kid in the Little League World Series," Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt says. "Ryan actually is transcending the game. People are making him out to be America's hitter, the 'Mr. Clean' of home run hitting."

Howard is bringing Roger Maris' 61-home run season back to life. Maris' mark has been eclipsed six times since 1998, but not since 2001.

In this home run chase, there are no steroid allegations. No congressional hearings. Steroid testing, which existed every year Howard was in the minors, is now in the major leagues, too. He has never played a professional season without being tested.

"The only juicing Ryan has ever done is apple or orange," says older brother Chris, associate athletics director of compliance at LSU. "Anyone who knows us can tell you that he is the smallest boy in the family." Howard's twin, Corey, who played basketball in high school and eventually got a law degree, is 6-6, 250. Chris is 6-5, 270.

Howard has become baseball's latest great hope. He is uncomfortable by talk he could become the "natural" home run champion. It makes no sense to him. The record is 73, by Barry Bonds. Mark McGwire hit 70. Sammy Sosa had three seasons of 63 or more.

Those marks are tainted by suspicion. Bonds, McGwire and Sosa never tested positive for steroids, but allegations have reverberated throughout America.

"I know what people are saying, and everybody wants to make a big deal out of it," says Howard, more proud of his .316 batting average. "I'm not going to lie; I'd love to hit 61, 62 homers. But not for that reason. To me, the record is still 73, not 61. I know people are going to be suspicious about everyone now. I know I don't have anything to hide. I've never done anything. It's just a shame it's gotten to this point."