SamuelKhan
4th Level Blue Feather
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Two men of honor and two men of shame.
Tommorrow, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn will be inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame for their excellence in the game. The two have one thing in common and that is they played on the same respective teams their entire careers. They also represent the treasured honor that the game has lost in recent years.
This beautiful day in baseball, however, will be over shadowed by the shame that has permeated America's pastime to the tune of performance-enhancement drugs and the denial of a loved slugger.
Although most fans have the wishful thinking of Barry Bonds' head exploding as a result of a high and inside fastball as he attempts to tie Hank Aaron's hallowed record of 755 home runs, some fans will celebrate it. It will also be the noticeable stink above the proceedings in Cooperstown shared with another foul odor.
Mark McGwire was the toast of the town in 1998 when he set the new record for home runs in a season at 70, and was destined to be named to the Hall alongside Ripken and Gwynn, if weren't for his tragic and memorable performance on Capitol Hill two years ago. I had suspected that he was doping, but was finally confirmed, "I'm not here to talk about the past." I was totally disgusted with him, and so was the Cardinal faithful. The statue celebrating his 62nd home run has yet to be unveiled and probably never will be.
In contrast, Cal Ripken, Jr.'s shining number of 2,632 consecutive games played will probably never be shattered. Imagine working for the same place for 16 years without calling in sick. Ripken was a class act his entire career, winning two MVP's and 431 HR's.
To me Barry Bonds will always be remembered for failing to throw out a crippled/wooden-legged/wheelchair bound Sid Bream in the 1992 National League Championship Series when playing for the Pirates, who went south right after Bonds signed with the Giants. He suddenly got bulky and subsequently shattered Mark McGwire's single season record with 73 HR's. Bonds was hitting home runs like gang busters. And when it was apparent that he was in fact cheating, Bud Selig said nothing just like he did during McGwire and Sammy Sosa's, another suspected doper, 1998 Home Run chase.
Tony Gwynn, on the other hand, who was a big guy to boot, belted 3,141 hits, and played for 20 seasons for the San Diego Padres, and no one else.
These four men played baseball, two with honor and two with shame. Unfortunately the shame will over shadow the honor on Sunday. I wrote more about the shame because it will be on every baseball fan's mind.
Tommorrow, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn will be inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame for their excellence in the game. The two have one thing in common and that is they played on the same respective teams their entire careers. They also represent the treasured honor that the game has lost in recent years.
This beautiful day in baseball, however, will be over shadowed by the shame that has permeated America's pastime to the tune of performance-enhancement drugs and the denial of a loved slugger.
Although most fans have the wishful thinking of Barry Bonds' head exploding as a result of a high and inside fastball as he attempts to tie Hank Aaron's hallowed record of 755 home runs, some fans will celebrate it. It will also be the noticeable stink above the proceedings in Cooperstown shared with another foul odor.
Mark McGwire was the toast of the town in 1998 when he set the new record for home runs in a season at 70, and was destined to be named to the Hall alongside Ripken and Gwynn, if weren't for his tragic and memorable performance on Capitol Hill two years ago. I had suspected that he was doping, but was finally confirmed, "I'm not here to talk about the past." I was totally disgusted with him, and so was the Cardinal faithful. The statue celebrating his 62nd home run has yet to be unveiled and probably never will be.
In contrast, Cal Ripken, Jr.'s shining number of 2,632 consecutive games played will probably never be shattered. Imagine working for the same place for 16 years without calling in sick. Ripken was a class act his entire career, winning two MVP's and 431 HR's.
To me Barry Bonds will always be remembered for failing to throw out a crippled/wooden-legged/wheelchair bound Sid Bream in the 1992 National League Championship Series when playing for the Pirates, who went south right after Bonds signed with the Giants. He suddenly got bulky and subsequently shattered Mark McGwire's single season record with 73 HR's. Bonds was hitting home runs like gang busters. And when it was apparent that he was in fact cheating, Bud Selig said nothing just like he did during McGwire and Sammy Sosa's, another suspected doper, 1998 Home Run chase.
Tony Gwynn, on the other hand, who was a big guy to boot, belted 3,141 hits, and played for 20 seasons for the San Diego Padres, and no one else.
These four men played baseball, two with honor and two with shame. Unfortunately the shame will over shadow the honor on Sunday. I wrote more about the shame because it will be on every baseball fan's mind.
....our kids are better role models than you "professional adults" are, and ever will be.....
