Until a few weeks ago, I pretty much knew what to think of Barry Bonds and his inevitable breaking of the home run record. I was on board with Michael Kress in thinking that Bonds was a great player, no doubt, but his greatness was overshadowed by his abuse of steroids. He was a cheater, plain and simple. The fact that he cheated before cheating was cheating–before Major League Baseball wilted under social and political pressure and made steroids illegal–did not mean Bonds got a pass. You take performance enhancing drugs to help you do something you can’t do within the limits of your pure ability. Bonds had a ton of pure ability, but he cheated his way to more.
So, I thought, I’d watch him break the record with my fellow baseball fans, but it’d be with a knot in my stomach. I hoped he’d retire the day after breaking the record so we didn’t have to put up with his nonsense any longer.
And then I saw Bonds play live against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on a sunny Saturday in June. He went 0-4 for that day, but it was the most intoxicating 0-fer I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard sportscasters say ten thousand times that Bonds has a pure swing, and I’ve watched that swing on television probably half that many times. But seeing it in person was a new experience. He crushed every ball he hit–a few towering foul balls, a hard-hit line drive, a sharp ground-out.
People at Fenway were screaming “Steeeeeeerrroids” every time Bonds came up to bat, but I was silent, mouth agape. Barry Bonds was a beautiful baseball player. I wanted to watch that swing again and again and again.
Since then, I find myself hoping Bonds leaves the Giants next year–not to retire, but to play for an American League team. Like Frank Thomas, Bonds could easily grind out a few more hard-hitting years as a designated hitter. At a basic baseball fan level, I’d love to have those at-bats to watch. Heck, I even find myself thinking that if–heaven forbid!–my beloved Red Sox lost their clutch DH David Ortiz to injury, Bonds would look awful good with red calves.
Color me conflicted, nay, hypocritical. And if you’re a sports fan, color yourself that way, too. Willful moral blindness is more or less required for spectator sports enthusiasts. We lavish attention game-in, game-out on athletes whose admiral qualities begin and end on the playing field. There are many Mike Piazzas, thankfully, but there are just as many Michael Vicks. And most sports fans judge these guys on a sliding scale according to their proximity to their favorite team. If Vick, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback who was just indicted on dog fighting charges, gets to play football again, he’ll be vilified everywhere except for his hometown. In the late 1990s when the Denver Broncos were the hottest team in football (ah, those halcyon days!), I became a Bill Romanowski fan of the first order when he began playing for Denver–this after years of thinking he was a drug-abusing, violent punk when he played for other teams.
What I’m saying is that we’re suspect. All sports fans are Barry Bonds fans. Bonds is a cheater, but he’s a beautiful baseball player, and even those who are turned off by him will watch him break the record with awe–and enjoy it.
posted July 26, 2007 at 4:44 am
How can one cheat before cheating was cheating. When Mcguire was hitting balls out if the park in every 4abs no-one said a thing at all.Sosa the same thing,everybody loved their open lovefest for the long ball. But as soon a Barry decided to get in on the same platform
and did his thing then there became an uproar of cheater,erase all of
his records,he’s surely,not friendly etc. So Barry is not the friendliest player in the world,ask him why? The media has dogged him
for years even got to him and had him crying at one time and thinking
about quitting. Can any of us walk one mile in his shoes and still
think that we wouldn’t be affected by the media’s constant criticism.
He is not perfect and neither are we. Racism is definately involved
in the media,critics and fan’s decision on Bonds it’s thee American
way.
posted August 5, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Too all the Bonds fans out there, congradulations. He did a fantastic thing by hitting 755. Too all others who meerly defend him, remember a few things about him; he’s been a jerk ever since his days in Pittsburgh, and I’ve watched since day 1 of his career, and he has never been a fan friendly athelete. Part of being a “celebrity” is to be an ambassidor of the game, that he has NEVER been. Belive me, no one in the ‘burgh misses Bonds. Secondly, what else has he done asside from individual efforts, any rings or champinoships to his credit? Not last I checked. And three, his post season track record is beyond pittiful. The man looks great until it REALLY counts. The man’s an ego maniac who has brought the critisism on himself and has never once appologized for the black cloud that hangs over him and baseball that he is part of. As for innocent until proven guitlty, ABSOLUTELY !!! No one can prove that he knowingly took steroids. But aren’t steroids illegal without prescription by law, and no baseball law should not over ride the law of the land. And ask yourself this, if an Olympic athelete can be banned for testing possitive, knowingly or otherwise,than why can’t Barry? MONEY !!!!! Shefield and Giambi were MAN enough to step up and appologize for their part in the steroid problem, I don’t even see Barry on deck.
posted August 6, 2007 at 6:42 am
First off, no, we’re NOT all Bonds fans. Please. What a ridiculous headline.
Secondly, RE: Sammy Sosa, frankly, I was appalled when I learned about the cork and I believe there were steroid allegations there too. Honestly, even as a lifelong Cubs fan, when I learned about ASosa’s possible misdeeds, I was disgusted. Honestly, many Cubs fans were, that and his behavior were reasons why so many here fell “out of love” with him.
Was there cheating in baseball’s past? Of course there was! It was reprehensible then as well. Honestly, if it is discovered that people cheated by using means like cork, steroids, whatever, their records should be examined, asterisked, as it were.
It isn’t a matter of race. I don’t care if someone using steroids is black, white, Hispanic, or a purple alien. I don’t *care* What I care about is whether or not they are playing honestly. And honestly, saying it’s a matter of racism is nonsensical. How is not wanting a steroid-using player to eclipse a non-steroid-using player racist? Last time I checked, both Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds were the same color. Am I missing something here?
posted August 6, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Leave the man alone and let him bask in God’s Glory!That is the probelm with all races. We are to quick to see the negative and not be happy enough about the positive.Whether he cheated or not, is between him and his God. But I will say this coming the old folk, “God Ain’t Blessing You In Your Mess.”
posted August 7, 2007 at 10:32 am
Barry Bonds is simply one of the best baseball players to ever play the game. If he did or did not use steroids is not for me to judge. If quite a few of the pitchers he faced used steroids has been conveniently forgotten by many that “throw stones” at him. The media has hounded him since he has been in the league, and is the single most reason his reputation is tarnished. Just because he chooses not to interact a great deal with the fans is another result of the media. I have been watching his career since he played at Arizona State…I have yet to see the negative side of his attitude.
posted August 7, 2007 at 11:46 am
Barry Bonds is truly one of the greatest baseball players of all time. I am glad to see him become the Home-Run king. He is also the only player to hit 500 home runs and steal more than 500 bases. I will be honored to see him in the HALL OF FAME. By the way Pete Rose should also be in the HALL OF FAME.
posted August 7, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Leave Barry alone! Let him that has not used steroids throw the first stone. Awe, there are none. Because Barry is a private person, sports writers and many fans hound him negatively. Leave him alone! You hound him because you didn’t want him to break Babe’s record too. You didn’t want Hank to break the record either. But guess what? Babe never held the record. It belongs to a player in the Negro Leagues that sports writers and fans choose to simply ignore. LEAVE BARRY ALONE!
posted August 7, 2007 at 3:27 pm
I am certainly NOT a Barry Bonds fan.
Illegal use of steroids — illegal — period.
We need to have our sports figures obey the laws – all of them.
We should only glorify those who play by all the rules, and then become superstars.
Our children deserve better role models.
posted August 7, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Why do we always jump on others before they are proven guilty? I just we are never happy for others because we are just plain jealous.
Even if JESUS told us BARRY was innocent there will be some who want believe it. Just like today there are some who don’t believe (JESUS IS THE SON OF MAN)
posted August 7, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Why pick on Barry Bonds? Did anybody say anything when they moved the leftfield wall in Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves so Hank Aaron could beat Babe Ruth’s record? Check it out ———
posted August 7, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Barry Bonds has just hit number 756.
Yet, he is not the Home Run King.
Hank Aaron is the Home Run King.
Barry lacks Hammerin’ Hank’s class. And of course, Hammerin’ Hank lacks Barry’s chemical enhancements.
Barry cheated. He knows it. We fans know it. He can claim the record and stroke his ego all he wants. But I’ll tell my kids this – “Don’t be like Barry. Don’t be all about ego and your own glory. Show some class and humility when you do great things. And don’t cheat.”
Call me a racist if it makes you feel better. I’m not. I’m a baseball fan. And Barry Bonds is all that’s wrong with the game and he’s a cheater. Break out the asterisks. Or maybe just put a syringe next to his name in the record books.
The truly sad part is that Barry could have done it all without the chemist shop. Would have made the Hall of Fame. But now he will always be tied with the steroids, the “clear”. The cheating.
Sad day for baseball.
posted August 8, 2007 at 10:31 am
PLEASE LET’S ENJOY THIS PIECE OF HISTORY WITHOUT SO MUCH NASTINESS.
SOON IT WILL END AND WE CAN ENJOY SOMEONE ELSE’S ACCOMPLISHMENT.
posted August 8, 2007 at 3:30 pm
So many of us claim that race has nothing to do with our disdain for Barry and the as yet unproven alegations against him, but I still have to wonder why do we not hate Lance Armsstrong as well? Almost identical scenario, just a different sport.
posted August 9, 2007 at 5:52 am
Keep on hammering, Barry! I’m proud of you!
posted August 9, 2007 at 9:47 pm
“I still have to wonder why do we not hate Lance Armsstrong as well? Almost identical scenario, just a different sport.”
You raise a good point, but I don’t know that your point necessitates the need for pulling out the race card. I would agree with you that Lance Armstrong, if proven guilty, will be and should be a tarnished hero. However, I would venture to say that the ‘untouchable’ status for Armstrong has more to do with his story, not his ethnicity. A cancer survivor who trains and races his way into cycling history is one of those great stories of human triumph. Everybody wants to rally around that, regardless of race. Does that mean we should turn a blind eye to the facts? Of course not. Does the seeming lack of public outcry against Armstrong mean racism? I’m not so sure we can say that.