Nathaniel
Shockey
Read Nathaniel's bio and previous columns
here
November
5, 2007
Oh Yes, Barry Bonds,
They Can Give You an Asterisk
Maybe it’s because of his uncanny ability to epitomize every negative
thing about the crazies in the Bay Area, but I just can’t help but chime
in on Barry Bonds’s most recent comments about the historic home run
ball, the Hall of Fame and his relationship with both.
Apparently, the Hall isn’t big enough for both Bonds and the historic
ball. And since the ball itself seems willing to accept its invitation,
“I will never be in the Hall of Fame. Never. Barry Bonds will not be
there.” In case you were confused, that was all a Barry Bonds quote. He
went from first to third person mid-paragraph. (Who’s on first? Barry?
Is that you?)
He continues: “That's my emotions now. That's how I feel now. When I
decide to retire five years from now, we'll see where they are at that
moment. We'll see where they are at that time, and maybe I'll
reconsider.”
A
few things: I think what he means is, “Those are my emotions
right now.” But the point is, at this very moment, as long as the Hall
has not officially extended an invitation to Bonds (they must wait five
years after a player retires to vote), he is not accepting. He simply
refuses to go somewhere he has not been invited. Of course, his feelings
may change down the road, in about, I don’t know, five years or so. Wow,
what a stand this man is taking. What guts! Nothing says “I’ll never be
in the Hall of Fame – never” like, “Maybe I’ll reconsider.”
He continues, “But it's their position and where their position will be
will be the determination of what my decision will be at that time." You
might need to read it a few times. It took me a while to work out the
syntax. I think it’s just another, slightly more mysterious way of
saying “Maybe I’ll reconsider.” But then again, it’s hard to be sure,
and for what it’s worth, I think he had just woken up when they were
interviewing him.
"I don't think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball, and I
don't think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk," Bonds said.
"You cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history. You
can't do it. There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball."
Well, actually, there is such a thing. There’s an asterisk on a very
significant baseball right now. And not only can the Hall accept
it, they are “delighted” to, according to their president.
But that’s probably not Bonds’s point. I think he means the whole thing
just seems wrong. It’s just so wrong! It’s like watching a child wreck
your kid in a wrestling match and asking the person next to you, “Can he
do that?”
Yes, Bonds, they can do that. It’s perfectly legal, and as to whether or
not it is right or wrong, maybe he should have thought of that before
taking whatever drugs/creams/tic-tacs his trainer gave him without
thinking to ask, “By the way, can I do this?”
No, Bonds, you can’t. And the truth is, even if there weren’t an actual
asterisk on the ball, the only person who would ever look at number 756
without seeing an asterisk directly between the stitching would be Barry
Bonds.
© 2007
North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.
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