I realized this morning there is a chance I may watch Barry Bonds hit a homerun and make baseball history, in person. Several weeks ago, a friend invited me to a Giants v. Padres game on a Sunday afternoon in August, she had free tickets so of course I said yes. Separately, I am very aware of the fact that Barry Bonds is at 754 career homeruns. The press reports his every move in anticipation of 755, tying the great Hank Aaron for the MLB record. Upon hitting 756, Bonds will be known as the all-time leader in career home runs. Reading this headline, I finally put 2 & 2 together: I may be in Petco Park for the brouhaha (hey, so I can be a little slow...).
I have loved MLB since I was eleven years old when my parents got cable which provided me access to WGN and TBS. My favorite players were Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs and Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves. Both excellent ball players with positive, honest images and most certainly not cheaters.
Many people are aware of the allegations toward Bonds regarding the use of steroids and other 'performance enhancing' drugs. Some may agree that perhaps MLB looked the other way during the late 90s when the stadium seats were full of paying bodies/fans hell-bent on watching homerun after homerun from the suspiciously-inflated players.
I have always confidently denied that Bonds would make it near Hank Aaron's amazing, hard-won record of hitting 755 homeruns. So much for that. I have to face the facts about Bonds: an originally very good baseball player let competition, insecurity and selfishness supercede good sportsmanship and honesty. He is notorioiusly booed in every stadium but his own (a theory I call The Our-Asshole Theory: he may be an asshole, but "he's our asshole").
This Sunday, I may inadvertently be on hand for MLB history, but the question still remains: if it happens in front of me will I boo, cheer or stand quietly taking in the spectacle?
-P
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"Shotgun Blast To Abdomen Just Pisses Wilfred Brimley Off More" - the Onion headline
I have loved MLB since I was eleven years old when my parents got cable which provided me access to WGN and TBS. My favorite players were Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs and Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves. Both excellent ball players with positive, honest images and most certainly not cheaters.
Many people are aware of the allegations toward Bonds regarding the use of steroids and other 'performance enhancing' drugs. Some may agree that perhaps MLB looked the other way during the late 90s when the stadium seats were full of paying bodies/fans hell-bent on watching homerun after homerun from the suspiciously-inflated players.
I have always confidently denied that Bonds would make it near Hank Aaron's amazing, hard-won record of hitting 755 homeruns. So much for that. I have to face the facts about Bonds: an originally very good baseball player let competition, insecurity and selfishness supercede good sportsmanship and honesty. He is notorioiusly booed in every stadium but his own (a theory I call The Our-Asshole Theory: he may be an asshole, but "he's our asshole").
This Sunday, I may inadvertently be on hand for MLB history, but the question still remains: if it happens in front of me will I boo, cheer or stand quietly taking in the spectacle?
-P
*
"Shotgun Blast To Abdomen Just Pisses Wilfred Brimley Off More" - the Onion headline
1 comment:
Holy crap! I had no idea it was THAT game we are going to! How inadvertently exciting if it happens while we're there! I'll take your cue - if you boo, I'll boo. If you applaud, I'll applaud. If you cry, I'll laugh at you. Just remember, we will be with a 7 year old celebrating his birthday so no cursing!
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