Barry Bonds *
San Francisco Giants Slugger Closes in on Historic Record
Amist controversary Barry Bonds is closing in on Hank Aarons home run record. With all the aligations of steroid use one must wonder. Did he cheat?
As of July 19, Barry Bonds is just four home runs shy of tying Hank Aaron for tops on the all time home run list. For Bonds who has 751 round trippers in his career it is simply not a question of if, but when.
Bonds who will turn 43 years old on July 24 has passed the average retirement age of Major League ballplayers, but not only has he passed it, he has excelled in his senior career years.
Since the 2000 season, fourteen years into his career, Bonds has hit more then 300 home runs and has a .346 batting average. Considering that these numbers are clearly superior to his current lifetime averages it would appear that like a fine wine Barry Bonds is getting better with age.
However, a great career is being tainted or should we say has been tainted by the constant allegations of steroid use and performance enhancing drugs. The suspicion is obvious given his numbers in the later part of his career compared to his earlier days with the Pittsburgh Pirates and early years with the San Francisco Giants.
Bonds seemed to show the stereotypical effects of someone using steroids starting in the 2000 season. A much larger muscle mass, loss of hair, enlarged head and a lack of temperament especially with the media.
In Bonds defense he accredits his size to an extreme work out regiment based around building muscle and toning his body into a power hitting machine. As for the loss of hair, well the fact is the man will be 43 soon and for some men his age 40 years with hair is a great achievement. Roger Maris’s hair loss has been well documented during his historic hunt for Babe Ruth’s single season home run record. Maris said that the threats from fans and the media harassment caused the stress leading to his hair loss, sound familiar?
The appearance of a larger head, however, is outrageous. It is understandable that increase muscle mass around the neck could possibly give the appearance of a larger head and the hair loss could also be attributed to the mirage of Bonds’ apparent Homer Simpson like melon.
The media simply put, get a hold of something and don’t let it go. They have hounded Bonds and been in his face about drugs for years, on the basis of what? Allegations supplied by wanna be writers and ex-players, secret sources, anonymous hidden tape recordings, the apparent existence of a undetectable super-drug and even his mistress, can we say Gold Digger!
Barry Bonds has never failed a drug test and he has never tested positive for any illegal performance enhancing drugs. Therefore, no concrete proof and nothing substantial to support anyone’s claim is apparent. The future hall-of-famer should be permitted to make his achievements and set records under the spot light of the nation with adoration and fan appreciation.
The sad part about this is that what should be considered as one of the truly great achievement in sports (passing Hank Aaron for the all-time home runs lead) will likely go down in the history books with a asterisk
Before Barry Bonds retires, barring any serious injuries, he will be the all time home run leader in the Major League Baseball. Bonds will also be a first ballot inductee into the hall of fame when he becomes eligible.
Bonds has dedicated the better part of his life to a game that he has to love. To put up with all the criticism and flack that may put a black mark on an otherwise brilliant career. To say that he played the game for the money is unacceptable, he plays because he gets to play a game for a living and get paid very well for it.
We base our role models on merit, perseverance, excellence and dedication. Who is anyone to say without concrete evidence to prove otherwise, that Bonds is any less a role model than Hank Aaron.
When Barry Bonds hits his 755 and 756 home run, for his own sake, it should be done in San Francisco. For such an achievement there should be a positive atmosphere filled with excitement and anticipation. The word cheater and heckling from the fans should not come in to play. Bonds does not deserve a asterisk next to his name because it would not only tarnish an already tarnished player but it would take away from the feat itself.
