“A Joyless Moment”
Last night, Barry Bonds established a new home run record. While fans in San Francisco wildly cheered this alleged “momentous event”, the rest of America could breathe easier after ESPN’s wall-to-wall coverage that held the nation hostage over the last six weeks would now come to a merciful end.

For most of us, it was neither a moment of celebration or scorn. It just was further evidence of the crass, overhyped culture in these, “the days of our lives”. Turn the channel, click. The mainstream media covered the event with the same sort of drama that attached to Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth were in 1973 and 1974. America truly cheered Hank's accomplishment. Truth is, there was no such drama this time. The only question is whether Bonds was aided by the use on performance-enhancing drugs to claim the record.

Some people try to attach “sacred notions” to the idea that someone who's able to hit more baseballs over the wall than any other is somehow worthy of attention and respect. Maybe that was true in another time, when baseball was “America’s Pastime”, but not anymore. The whole “celebrity-worship” which this culture fosters makes a lot of people recoil.

What was most sickening of all was the media's attempt to legitimize Bonds’ record at a time when questions about his alleged steroid use float around him like ugly black clouds. Among the worst offenders in this regard is the aforementioned ESPN, which scrutinized the chase as if Bonds were as pure as the driven snow. Talk about taking themselves way too seriously, ESPN is now the self-ordained authority for deciding what is true and moral in the world of sport. They’ve become a pack of politically correct bloviating windbags who ought to go back to reading the nightly scores, rather than the revisionist history they're trying to spin as fact. We don't need to be re-educated. Other than the occasional sporting event, I've tuned them and their agenda out entirely.

The most poignant moment of the evening involved Bonds’ godfather, the great Willie Mays, who was allowed to participate in the moment like some kindly old uncle shuffling off in the background. On his best day as a baseball player, Barry bonds could not carry Willie Mays cleats, period. Willie is one of the top-five most charismatic baseball players that ever wore a uniform. To see him shunted off to the side like some sort of ornament is an insult to the game of baseball.

Bonds' apologists try to validate his claim by stating how different baseball is now compared to Hank Aaron’s prime, or try to diminish Babe Ruth’s accomplishment by pointing out the fact that there were no African-American ballplayers in the major leagues during the period of time in which he played. First of all, Barry Bonds was never subjected to the death threats that Hank Aaron encountered, similar only in their degree of racial hatred as Jackie Robinson encountered when he broke in with the Dodgers in 1947. Second, there was never even a hint of scandal or anything negative attached to Hank Aaron. What was truly remarkable about Aaron was his year in, year out, consistency. He hit forty or more homers in a season seven times, never more than 47 in ’71.

Bonds was a Hall of Fame caliber player with or with out enhancements prior to 1999. He was an awesome ballplayer who was going to glide into Cooperstown on the first ballot, so why even take a chance of tainting what was a brilliant career?

For the record:

Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs in 8,398 at-bats from 1915 until 1935.
Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs in 12,364 at-bats from 1954 to 1976.
Barry Bonds has hit 756 home runs and 9,774 at-bats to date from 1986 until now.

What does it all mean? True, all of these were different eras of baseball. When The Bambino was belting them out of “The House that Ruth Built”, he did not have to face the likes of Satchel Paige or compete against some of the greatest baseball players of the 20th century who were denied entry into the major leagues solely on account of the color of their skin. This is in no way to diminish his accomplishments. Because before he was a great home run hitter in New York, he was a great left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Ruth may not have played games at night, or had to endure the rigorous travel demands of the ballplayers of today. Nevertheless, riding trains and playing in heavy flannel suits in places like St. Louis in July and August had to take their toll. Had he attended to himself a little bit better, and avoided the wine, women and song that accompany celebrity, who knows what those numbers could have been?

In Aaron’s case, his career spanned the end of the 16-team era to the advent of the designated hitter. There were more teams, a longer schedule, not to mention many more games played those ugly multipurpose stadiums that dominated the latter part of his career.

The years 2000-2004 are Bonds’ “red flag years”. He was 35-39 years of age during that period, a time when he hit 49, 73, 46, 45 and 45 home runs. During their same ages, Aaron hit 44, 38, 47, 34 and 40 while Ruth hit 49, 46, 41, 34 and 22. All three hitters had the benefit of playing at home in “hitters ballparks”. Babe’s diminution in skill is evident by the numbers, and once Aaron hit 715, it’s clear that his HR numbers dropped precipitously thereafter. At a time when 99.999% of baseball players’ skills are on the wane, Bonds’ power numbers went up. That’s what has the public wondering whether he’s a freak of nature or he had pharmaceutical help.

So far, there’s been an “investigation” undertaken by the semi-clueless former used-car salesman who sits in the Commissioner’s chair. There have been grand juries and leaks and people have rotted in jail on contempt charges while this so-called hallowed record has been under assault. All of these activities to date have shed no light on whether Bonds used steroids. Throughout, Bonds has either steadfastly maintained his innocence or hidden behind lawyers. Fine, that’s his right, as he is cloaked with a presumption of innocence in a court of law until proven otherwise. However, are we as a culture that desperate for a “story” while serious allegations about its meaning remain?

Baseball has historically not been kind to alleged cheaters. This will not play out like the Pete Rose debacle where MLB waited until they had his pants pulled down before dropping the big one. The “Dowd Report” was a tremendously thorough way of painting a picture of a degenerate gambler. It was only a matter of time before the mob was going to force Pete’s hand by throwing games. Through hard investigative work, MLB stepped in just in time. However, what Pete was accused of doing did not change the outcome of any games in which he managed. It was sad and pathetic, but it didn't affect any records. If it is proven that Bonds used banned substances to gain a competitive edge (as manifested by his home run totals), that would affect the integrity of the game to a much greater degree. Records which were previously considered "sacrosanct" by the public would be viewed with a jaundiced eye, and the game's reputation would suffer.

In Bonds case, it now appears that the government is going the Al Capone (and Pete Rose) route by trying to nail him on tax evasion charges. Additionally, one of Bonds’ former paramours will be gracing the pages of one of those “gentleman's magazines” that will also include salacious details about things that nobody really needs to know. Furthermore, Bonds’ reputation with teammates and the media has been less than, shall we say, positive over the years. Individual records are fine, but not at the expense of the team’s. Unfortunately, Barry Bonds puts people in the stands while the Giants stink. They’re a decrepit bunch appreciably any lacking young talent and the team will be going nowhere for a number of years to come.

The legal process needs to be respected and MLB’s “investigation” needs to be fully complete and made public. Reasonable-minded people can wait. Unlike the pernicious toadies at ESPN who unabashedly danced in the moment, claiming, “he hasn’t been convicted of anything.” If it is subsequently determined that the home run record was permanently tainted through the use of steroids, those pompous know-it-all jock sniffers will be the first to turn on Bonds like a pack of pit bulls. The whole affair is just too sordid to engage any further.

As long as there is no conclusive proof either way, there’s nothing to celebrate or acknowledge beyond a number added to a player’s home run figure.