It's 756 HR's, One Steal: Bonds Forever Tarnishes Record

Boston Herald ^ | Wednesday, August 8, 2007 | Gerry Callahan

[keepitreal]

What a great player Thurman Munson was and what a loss to the game when he died. He was one tough guy.

[pepsionice]

If you went down the Giants lineup over the past six years...from coaches to players...I doubt you can find more than six guys who actually support and approve of Barry. Most are just a bit negative, on up to extremely negative. He never was a team player. Barry played on a Giants team that was totally lacking of any real drive or character...which you can blame on the owners or the management...but Barry sure helped to make it that way.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

More than a possible steroid controversy, my problem is that Bonds could stand over the plate in his armor and cover the whole plate. Hank Aaron could not do that. The likes of Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale would see to it.

Bonds is a great talent, but the tradition of baseball has been to let the pitcher have a share of the plate.

[shortstop]

**Steroids have little to do with Bond’s record.**

My nomination for the dumbest post on FR today.

[MrEdd]

Perhaps it would have if the guy supplying him with the stuff hadn't refused to testify against Bonds. When a witness chooses jail over testifying it says a lot about what his testimony would be.

Given what we've seen with the Haditha, Hamidinia, and Duke LaCrosse cases, the reality is that he is just as likely to be jailed if he refused to give the account the prosecution dictated to him. Don't pretend the justice system is only as corrupt as proffesional sports.

[wbill]

I read Johnny Bench's bio, he said that he'd split - SPLIT - about 1/2 dozen athletic cups a season. Catchers are tough.

Geez, in the 2nd pic, look at the size of the Goose, in comparison to Munson.

I got a chance to listen to the Goose pitch...it was back in '81. I say "listen" because, even though I was sitting behind home, I couldn't follow the ball. It just roared when it came over the plate. And every pitch sounded like a pistol shot when it hit the catcher's glove.

I think that things are different now. Not better, by any means....just different. I think that a good start to improving baseball would be to get rid of 1/2 dozen teams (or more)...the talent pool has just been too diluted. When journeyman infielders that hit .225 are *averaging* a million bucks a year, there's something wrong with the system.

[Houmatt]

If that's the impression you have about Babe Ruth, I hope you did not get it from the movies, because it is false. The truth is, Ruth hit those home runs on his own accord, like Aaron hit his.

If you can provide evidence otherwise, please do so.

[Houmatt]

Hank Aaron still holds the title. And always will.

[RightWhale]

the legal system isn't involved here

Reflect on this idea again.

Liberals have taken over the education system. More like occupied the field vacated by Conservatives.

[Houmatt]

One question: How does a baseball player go from scoring an average of 32 home runs a season over a period of 12 years to 52 in the five years following? Exercise? Dumb luck? Warping the space/time continuum?

Sour grapes, huh? Go to Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada and call them liars. Prove them to be liars.

Or just sit down and shut up.

[Mrs.Liberty]

one thing I noticed after the home run last night—it seemed to me that the Giants players were a bit reserved when congratulating Bonds. Several had looks of indifference on their faces.

[KevinB]

Given what we've seen with the Haditha, Hamidinia, and Duke LaCrosse cases, the reality is that he is just as likely to be jailed if he refused to give the account the prosecution dictated to him.

I can hear him now: "Gee, even though I can testify truthfully without implicating anybody, I'm afraid there's a chance an overzealous prosecutor will throw me in jail because I'm not telling him what he wants to hear so I'll just refuse to testify and go to jail for sure instead."

Good one. Thanks for the laugh.

[1L]

You’ve already made a fool out of yourself by insinuating you know more than I do (simply because we disagree) about this, plus you can’t back up what you said, and now you have the nerve to call my post dumb?

Go back to class, kid.

[masadaman]

Exactly. How many pitchers were or are taking steroids and no one says a word? Bonds is also remarkable because his success over the last five years would demand that he was drug-free (given potential testing by MLB and the ongoing Grand Jury etc.)Yet he broke three or four other records during that time and had to deal with the spotlight and not too friendly media 24/7. A true hero!

[mowowie]

Nice one Doug.

[Constantine XIII]

“In San Francisco, thousands of soulless toadies ...”

OH LAWL, what a drama queen. XD

[Jokelahoma]

My statement, "The legal system isn't involved here", pertains to the topic of my post, which is the public opinion of Bonds. Yes, I know there are grand juries out, etc., and there is the possibility of legal action against Bonds. But that is separate from Bonds conviction in the court of public opinion. One does not rely on the other, nor should they. The concept of "innocent until proven guilty" does not apply at all in the court of public opinion.

Or to put it another way, one shouldn't be convicted simply because he's not well loved, nor should one feel they are entitled to respect simply because their legal guilt wasn't (or hasn't yet) proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. See "Simpson, O.J." for more information.

[montag813]

Hank Aaron is STILL the home run champ!

Babe Ruth would have hit more than 1,600 HRs had he played as long as did Aaron. And in Atlanta, they kept moving the fences in to help him get the record. That is cheating in itself.

[montag813]

but Cansco is about to out A-Rod in his new book. I put my money on Rob Howard.

No way. A-Rod just doesn't have the scary, Hollywood villain look that McGuire and Bonds had/have. The swollen muscles and head, the scary intensity. A-Rod is not juiced.

[MissouriConservative]

Babe Ruth is still the homerun champion of all time. The dude was a man among boys. He played 7 of the 9 positions on the ball diamond and still hit that many homeruns. Aaron did not do it in the same span of time that Ruth did it, therefore, in my opinion, Aaron did not break the record.