Go Barry Go

Saturday, Barry Bonds tied what has been called the most hallowed record in sports history. Against the team that had given up more of his home runs than any other, Bonds blasted his 755th home run to left-center field in Petco Park in the 2nd inning against Clay Hensley. Although Bonds has a mountain of circumstantial evidence pointing to use of performance enhancing drugs, he has vehemently denied knowingly taking steroids and thus far his tests have been clean. In a twist of irony, Hensley in fact was suspended 15 games in April 2005 for steroid use as a minor leaguer. Commissioner Bud Selig was on hand to witness the historic home run and responded with disgrace. Bud was asked to stand up, and grudgingly did so and pointedly thrust his hands into his pockets without a hint of applause, exhibiting his displeasure with an unsurprising passive-aggressive gesture.

As this event comes to a climax in the next few games when Barry hits his 756th home run to overtake Henry Aaron, the talking heads and pundits that typically write about these things will take umbrage that such a hallowed record can be surpassed in a cloud of suspicion. You will hear much about asterisks, steroid fueled recovery, the reaction of the commissioner, the reaction of Homerin Hank, the stuffy baseball writers debating whether or not Barry should go to the Hall of Fame, but what you will not hear is a tribute to the greatest baseball player ever, Barry Bonds. I want to pay a meager tribute to him now. Meager because I am no one anyone in baseball will take seriously, not because of the man I want to honor.

I must preface by declaring that I am a San Francisco Giants fan and have been since I was a young boy watching games in chilly Candlestick Park. I will not dazzle you with statistical knowledge because I don’t have any, but I do know that Barry Bonds is the most feared hitter in his lifetime, possibly ever. He has been walked, intentionally or not, more times than I have ever seen. I also know that he is confident and doesn’t have much patience for the media. I don’t know how much patience I would have if I were hounded day in and day out either. He could even be described as moody, surly, and temperamental, as many of us can be described on occasion. Does he have his faults? Of course. Does he seem a bit immature at times? Yes, but again, how many grown men do you know that don’t act immature at times? Barry should be every mans hero, but he isn’t. Why not?

The easy, although I say the incorrect answer, is suspected steroid use. The cry of “he cheated!” resonates, but as a society do we really care about cheating? Cheating is rampant in this nation, from college exams to shady business deals. This does not excuse it, but softens the issue for many. When San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was suspended for 4 weeks last season for steroid use, the only negativity expressed was because fans couldn’t wait for him to return to the field. And what really constitutes a performance-enhancing drug? Only recently “greenies” were outlawed (and also until recently it wasn’t again baseball rules to use steroids), the amphetamines many ball players, including a great like Mike Schmidt, would take to get through a double header and they were arguable enhancing performance. What about the cortisone shot Kurt Gibson got just before his famous home run in the playoffs years ago. If that drug didn’t “enhance performance” by allowing him to walk to the plate when he previously wasn’t able to, then I don’t know what performance enhancing is. The feigned outrage expressed is said to be about cheating and about steroids, but if you really get down to it, it is neither of these reasons. The bottom line is people don’t like Barry Bonds and are vilifying him. He is being used as a scapegoat for the rampant use of steroids by many baseball players, but this is not because people are upset with steroid use; it is a convenient way to express displeasure with the man many don’t like who is breaking the most hallowed record in sports. This man is overtaking Henry Aaron, who in contrast is a man who was and is beloved by many. Suspicion of steroids just gives people an outlet for expressing their dislike of a grumpy ball player that lacks universal appeal.

I say celebrate Barry Bonds and his accomplishments. He is an amazing baseball player and it has been a great time to be a Giants fan. He has carried my team for so long and done so many wonderful things. I like Barry Bonds. We’ve been privileged to witness one of the best baseball players ever to play to the game during these past 20 years and it will sadly soon come to an end. Thank you Barry.