Barry Bonds Bats 756!
As you can see, I thought I'd take a different visual twist on Barry Bonds' milestone. When was this picture taken? When he first started playing in the majors in 1986? Last night, for the 756th time, Barry swung his big bat and knocked a little white baseball out of the ballpark. Most of the crowd present went wild.
However, mainstream media coverage of the new "Home Run King" has been formal at best and accompanied with "buts". "But.....he used (or might have used) steroids in his endeavor to break the record." Whatever.
I hear Jill Scott's new smash hit "Hate On Me" playing in the background.
Like Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick, Bonds hasn't been convicted of anything. Yet, people are talking about how the ball, which Barry knocked out of the ballpark, will lose value if the fan who snagged it doesn't sell it right away because of the steroid controversy. What? Now I don't condone wrongdoing, but people are innocent until proven guilty so therefore I will celebrate Barry's milestone.
Today's The New York Daily News had Bonds on the cover calling him the "King of Shame". Sean Hannity asked on Fox's Hannity and Colmes if Bonds faces jail time in the future despite his milestone. Comedian Dennis Miller was on Fox's Bill O'Reilly Show this evening suggesting that he is already looking forward to Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees to become the next home run king. Sounds like more hatin'.
Again, show me evidence that Bonds has "juiced" (i.e. used performance enhancing drugs) stupid.
I think some white baseball fans and white sports commentators are just upset that another black man has passed Babe Ruth's beloved home run record. They weren't happy when Hank Aaron did it so why would it be any different now?
Different day. Same shit.
A newspaper headline read,
"Like him or not, legitimate or not, Barry Bonds is baseball's new home run king."
posted by Terrence | 8:51 PM
7 Comments:
There are definitely some racist reactions to Bonds, but I don't think it's the primary reason for negative coverage of his accomplishments. If it were Mark McGwire breaking the record now, I think the stories would be ALMOST as judgmental. It's pretty clear that McGwire will never make it into the Hall of Fame because of his ALLEGED drug use. Bonds, despite the controversy, will probably still make it in. There are always racists around, but I believe that MOST people applauded Hank Aaron's breaking of Babe Ruth's record. Every sane person had to admit it was deserved. I don't think it can be compared to Bonds' controversy.
Another aspect of this is that Bonds is one of the most unlikable person in sports, black OR white. There's nothing wrong with being a nice person.
In the same way that you can't blame a person for everything because he's black, you still shouldn't forgive him for everything because he's black either. Just my humble opinion.
It's interesting how you suggest the stories would be "ALMOST" as judgmental. I think that assessment is astute.
Also, the truth of the matter is katsat, like Bonds, rumors had been swirling for months about McGwire prior to him breaking Roger Maris's single-season home run record.
If you recall, Mark had bulked up physically and was much larger than Barry Bonds is now, yet the media didn't mention it much - or hardly at all in the context of possible steroid abuse - despite the rumors. They definitely did not slam McGwire to the extent they are slamming Bonds - mind you with no evidence.
Keep in mind too that Major League Baseball was trying to lure back fans during the McGwire/Sosa home run race. In my opinion, MLB and sports commentators are hypocrites.
By the way, I am from St. Louis and I am a loyal Cardinals fan - despite the organization's wicked racist past. I followed the whole season when Mark and Sammy had their run to break Maris's record. I saw the game where McGwire hit #63. NOBODY talked about his massive physique or him breaking the record in relation to steroids after he broke the record.
Yes, there are rumors regarding Bonds and all they are at this time are rumors. Rumors and hearsay do not prove guilt.
Barry denies it. MLB has tested him and has found no evidence of it. Bonds has not been indicted or convicted of anything. So what's the problem? Surely Bonds is disliked by a lot people, but so am I. Who cares? Bonds tells it like it is and he isn't an ass kisser. If that creates enemies so be it. Furthermore, I've seen stories and read about "nice" things Bonds has done for society.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I say the Aaron and Bonds stories, while not exactly the same in how they unfolded, are connected in how hateful people reacted to them. All you have to do is read the last link embedded in piece. Babe Ruth is sacred to a lot of baseball fans. Why?
Furthermore, you are minimizing the hell Hank Aaron went through in his quest to break Babe Ruth's record. I don't know about your "most" assertion.
Hank received death threats and hate mail as he was about to break Ruth's record so has Barry Bonds. Bonds has been attacked by the media because of a mere allegation. He has suffered more than any other MLB player who has had the same allegations leveled against them. Why? To me, the allegations and rumors of possible steroid abuse thus far appear to be masking the real problem. Racism.
While Mark McGwire hasn't admitted to using steriods, he did admit to using creatine and androstenedione to enhance his performance level. That and rumors of steroid use could doom him - not just rumors alone.
Last, nobody is giving Bonds a pass because he's black. He's being given the benefit of the doubt because he has not been nailed or convicted of doing anything illegal - at least not yet.
Now that's my humble opinion.
Thanks for your reply. You've brought up important points that make me see how much more important the racial angle is.
As a non-black and non-white in Hawaii, I literally and figuratively live far from the swirl of controversy surrounding these issues. In my world I just didn't see all the hatred in the Aaron days that you and probably anyone paying close attention did, or the ugliness surrounding Bonds now. In my world everyone I know thinks Aaron is a worthy successor to Aaron and thinks Bonds is a great Hall of Fame player but an ass of a guy, too. (By the way, being your own man doesn't mean you have to be an ass; you don't seem like an ass to me.) But I live in a kind of bubble, I admit.
But I do want to understand beyond the black and white - literally and figuratively again - views of the issues. I really respect your take on things and I'm grateful for your sharing them. Sometimes I think I have no right to have an opinion because I am so far removed from what black men go through everyday and could never hope to truly understand their reality. But writings like yours are a great help.
But I must admit that the Vick case sounds pretty bad, black OR white. It's hard to find people more devoted - and fanatical - than animal lovers. The race angle sadly makes the frenzy even worse.
That picture is an assault to the aesthetic senses!
lol
L
Katsat I am sure you are well aware of racism with your living in Hawaii and being a non-white, of course like most Americans that are not Black you have no ideal what Black people have been through in this country. I am Black and know about the history of racism in Hawaii with the native people. So your statement about not being aware of how Hank was treated when he was chasing the record strikes me as someone who is either stupid or has never picked up a history book. I was not alive during WW2 but can give a pretty good description of it and discuss it with a fair amount of intelligence.
I guess its the internet age where everyone thinks if it wasn't on mtv,vh1, bet or entertainment tonight that it didn't happen. I bet you can discuss Spears and the other young drunks at length.
Terrance maybe the read a book video should made for all races:)
LOLOL! Lola.
With regards to the "Read A Book" comment, maybe so anonymous.
Don't remember the cream and the clear? He admitted to unknowingly using steroids and blamed it on the trainer (white guy) who is sitting in jail b/c he won't give Bonds up to the grand jury.
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