A Disgrace To The Game
Not Barry Bonds, at least not this particular disgrace. And this time it's not me saying it, although I did get into the soon-to-be-No. 2 home-run hitter in my weekly podcast.
No, this theory about Bonds not exactly being the worst thing that's ever happened to baseball comes from the author of a book about early 20th-century Hall of Famer/suspected game-fixer Tris Speaker. His article on ESPN.com makes an interesting point: steroids, schmeroids. Gambling in baseball was practically an epidemic back in the day, and the 1919 World Series was only the tip of the iceberg. Other World Series were affected by it, and other Hall of Famers besides Shoeless Joe Jackson (Speaker, for one) were linked to it.
That includes a particularly influential Series: 1918, the one we all heard about daily our entire lives until the Red Sox won in 2004, and the one that more or less launched the Babe Ruth legend (he starred in it, and was sold to the Yankees after the following season).
Any article that can get both the words "chicanery'' and "skullduggery'' into print is worth giving your attention to.
Again, not to defend Barry. Just to offer a little perspective in an environment where perspective seems to have run away long ago.
Comments
David, don't you think that if Bonds had simply made more of an effort not to be such a jerk throughout his career, that fans would not have been so "outraged" about the steroids? I have always found it somewhat amazing that Gaylord Perry admitted to cheating throughout his career (doctoring a baseball is against the rules and can give a pitcher an unfair advantage), but was admitted to the Hall of Fame! Now, if Perry had acted like Bonds, would he have been voted in by the baseball writers? I doubt it. But, I think most people found him to be a likeable sort. I met him years ago, thought he was a great guy, but I still think it is ridiculous that an admitted cheater is in the HOF! Guess I'm in the minority on that one.
I don't think the fans are booing Barry because they are so offended about the steroids, I think it is simply because a guy making millions of dollars to PLAY A GAME felt compelled to be such a jerk. Simple as that. The nice guy act on the reality show is far too little too late. The real Barry resurfaced when he refused to sign the 713 ball for the American serviceman. Is Bonds the worst thing that ever happened to baseball? No. A disgrace to the game? Yes.
Posted by: Larry Blucher | May 8, 2006 8:54 PM
Comparing Tris Speaker to Barry Bonds in any wrongdoing or tainting of the game is absurd! Speaker isn't around to defend himself either, but we have Bonds sitting right here & he is either lying outright or not talking.
Defending Bonds in any way is stupid actually. He is all about me, a sullen, mean individual who doesn't think ANY of the laws of man apply to him. The guy was a good player without the drugs, but that wasn't good enough for him. Just because others did it, doesn't make his doing it right either. I hope his drug inflated head bursts before he hits #714.
Posted by: Brian | May 18, 2006 11:31 AM