The New York Times’ Bob Herbert doesn’t think so. Now that the republican minority in the Senate worked to shut down a Bill which would have let D.C. get its own voting representative in Congress, Herbert believes the old school Southern roots of Republicans is still intact.
Fashion designer Marc Ecko dropped $752,467 on the table in order to “democratize” the decision whether to ship Barry Bonds’ record-breaking no. 756 to the Hall of Fame, or to the moon — quite literally.
On Ecko’s new website, he gives visitors the option to vote between three options of what fate the historic ball will have:
A fun assortment, but the vote should be simple: Brand It.
If you’ve read my pieces on Bonds and the record-chase, you may be confused. Hear me out.
By branding and shipping no. 756 off to Cooperstown, the ball serves its purpose whether or not you believe Bonds is reached the historic mark legitimately.
Those who view Bonds as the ultimate villain in the world of performance enhancers in baseball, and believe his mark should be tarnished forever, get their wish. What better a way to be tarnished than to have his record-breaker in Cooperstown with a people-branded asterisk on the historic ball?
Those who view Bonds as the ultimate scapegoat in the world of performance enhancers in baseball will have evidence of how one man was “burned at the stake” in order for major league baseball to attempt to save face and detract onlookers from the larger issue that goes well beyond one man.
What you choose to believe is up to you. Call Bonds a cheat or a scapegoat, but either way this goes beyond one player.
Since the BALCO investigation, numerous high-profile players have been linked to rings of steroids, including Yankees first-baseman Jason Giambi who admitted to using “stuff” during his playing days but has yet to receive a punishment or reprimand from the league. In fact, he received a free pass!
At this point, if the public wants to vilify Bonds for allegedly reaching no. 756 in an illegal manner, it needs to do more research into the league and determine whether or not they will be consistent with the scrutiny. Mark McGuire is another famous player who has been accused of steroid use but had never tested positive, yet it appears as if he will need a miracle to make it into the Hall of Fame. If the MLB chooses to put an asterisk on Bonds’ records, will they put one on McGuire’s season of 70 home runs? The Oakland Athletics pennant winners where he and teammates, including admitted steroid user Jose Canseco, won the World Championship? What about Gaylord Perry’s 314 wins and 2 Cy Young Awards, despite admitting to doctoring baseball throughout his 22-year career?
Baseball cannot choose to give a pass (neither the public nor the MLB has yet to cry out for the aforementioned records to be asterisked) to hundreds of admitted and proven cheaters for years but then pick out the most disagreeable, hated player linked to cheating – who just so happens to have broken the most hallowed record in the game – and crucify him in the name of “cheaters” now and forever more.
It doesn’t work that way.
Baseball needs to find out where the line is between fair play and cheating before they can move on and not been seen as hypocritical.
At the rate they are going, dragging their feet about a new testing policy which may out some of baseball’s most profitable stars, the MLB might as well either put an asterisk on the entire Hall of Fame if they plan on doing so to Bonds’ real records. Otherwise, they should move forward and look to improving the league and its integrity from here on out.
So, Marc Ecko, please go ahead and brand the ball with a large asterisk. Fans and, more importantly, all of major league baseball need to never forget the chase for Hammerin’ Hank’s 755. It marked one of the most important times in history where confusion, celebration, division and hypocrisy surrounded one bitter man’s attack on one bitter league’s imperfect — yet somehow still sacred — record books.
