Bonds is San Francisco's treat
Posted: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 12:27 PM
How big is the home run record?
I watched Monday night’s game from the fifth row behind first base in San Francisco. Tuesday night I watched Barry Bonds’ record-setting home run from a Montreal hotel room. That’s right…the city that used to house the franchise that opposed Bonds Tuesday night actually aired the Giants-Nationals telecast, nearly three years after baseball left this town. This is the biggest record in American sports. This is the one record of which Americans -- sports fans or not -- have awareness.
Ask us the name of the all-time NFL rushing leader or the all-time leading NBA scorer and, if we know at all, we have to think for a moment before answering. Ask anyone walking the streets of America who is baseball’s home run king and odds are they will know.
We saw unbridled joy Tuesday night in San Francisco, just as expected. We saw a player and a city that have enjoyed a 15-year love affair rejoice. Those in attendance, even those like the Mets fan who bought tickets outside the park and ended up catching the record baseball, wanted to be part of the spectacle.
On Monday night, I watched in amazement as the entire park stood for Bonds’ first-inning at bat. After he fouled out, the second out of the inning, thousands fled their seats for the concession stands or restrooms. For the rest of the seven innings that Bonds played Monday night the fans seated near me were only concerned with the innings in which Bonds would bat. These are knowledgeable fans, people who care about the Giants and recognize how bad this team is as presently constructed. It pains them so they find escape in Bonds. When Bonds left the game in the seventh inning, many left the ballpark.
Giants' television play-by-play man Duane Kuiper's reaction upon the end of the 8-6 Washington win on Tuesday night; "this was a doubleheader." To me, it seemed like one game -- could Bonds hit 756? Once he did, he left the game, the Giants lost and those who care will see the real meaning in that combination.
Matt Morris struck a nerve in San Francisco with his recent comments that the focus seemed to be on Bonds and not on winning games. Those who own the team don’t want that, but I must admit that it is difficult to look at this year’s team and think anything different.
This view is that Bonds has achieved something great. I acknowledge the achievement, accomplished by the greatest player I have seen. But I have trouble honoring the record while Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, sits in jail as a convicted steroid dealer. I have trouble with the mindless celebration that Bonds supporters enjoy while the holder’s close friend is incarcerated. I wish Bonds would address that, but he hasn’t. I wish we could mindlessly celebrate this mark as was the case with Tom Glavine’s 300th win or Alex Rodriguez’s 500th homer.
When watching the celebration of Bonds from Montreal I kept wondering how Anderson felt when the historic home run was hit…that is if he saw it...if it wasn’t already lights out in his jail cell.
