Final Draft

Barry Bonds waits anxiously for a 0-1 pitch from Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bonds sits tied with Mark McGwire atop the single season home run record with 70 home runs. Just 400 feet separate him from breaking the most glamorous record in baseball. Park’s unusual delivery begins and Bonds’ focus jumps to new levels. He has only four tenths of a second to decide if this pitch is the right one to swing at. Will this be the moment for heroics or is it just another pitch to him? Four-tenths of a second later, horsehide meets wood and the ball is elevated towards the bleachers. The trot that bonds takes is no ordinary one. He has just vaulted himself into the number one position for single season home runs with 71. This moment is not only a high in Bonds’ career, but also the city of San Francisco. Fast forward to 2007, another record-breaking year for Bonds. Yet the aura around is this night, August 5th, 2007, is different from anything anyone has ever felt. Bonds stands on the cusp of breaking the record of all records, the all time home run mark. He sits atop the leader board, tied with Henry Aaron at 755. After he lifts 2-2 pitch from Mike Bascik of the Washington Nationals into the right center bleachers, not only does AT&T Park erupt, but also so does the city of San Francisco. Their maligned star has finally achieved a milestone that will stand for many years to come. However while the city celebrates, the rest of the nation sits quietly for they show no respect to a cheater. Who knew that the greatest batter in sports history would be marred by a dark secret kept hidden for years, steroids. Ever since 2007, little has been known about bonds. He has become a hermit, due to both his ego and arrogance. The game he loves finds no need for a once great champion. Now all the world sees of the king is rare appearances at Giants’ functions and games. However the attitude of hatred and disgust remain towards him.
Bonds fall from grace first began in December of 2003. It was during that time that he was indicted for perjury pertaining to questioning on whether he used performance-enhancing drugs. He stated to the feds that he unknowingly used a substance called Tetrahydrogestrinone or THG. This substance is a masking agent that can build lean muscle. Yet the best part about THG is its undetectable nature on drug tests taken by major league players. Nonetheless, when the public found out about Bonds’ alleged steroid use, they lost all admiration and respect for his accomplishments upon the baseball field. To escalate the situation, Bonds became even more arrogant and cocky towards to the public and media. He would refuse autograph requests consistently and would lose self-control at any question that implicated his steroid use. The satirical media had a field day with his personality, mocking him to the furthest extent. Yet through all the negativity Bonds continued to do what he did best, play baseball. With each long fly ball into the starry night, his ego began to grow as well as the hatred towards him. The situation escalated to the point where Bonds’ family received death threats for his chase towards the home run record. The only satisfaction that the fans saw in Bonds’ breaking the record was that it would surely be broken by baseball’s golden boy Alex Rodriguez a few short years after bonds would do it. Obviously we were all mislead as Rodriguez has also been cited as a steroid user, but at the time that was the only hope baseball fans around the world had.
Though he has never actually tested positive for steroids, a poll taken by ESPN’s Jayson Stark in May of 2007 saw 73 percent of the American people believe he took it at some point in his career. Race also played a big factor in the survey. In the survey, only 37 percent of African Americans thought he used steroids compared to 74 percent of caucasians. Then came the most important part of the survey, those who thought bonds deserved the home run record. 74 percent of African Americans believe Bonds deserved to break the record while a measly 28 percent of Caucasians wanted him to succeed. Without a doubt, Bonds not only faced the allegations of steroid use, but he also faced the race factor as he neared the record. When asked if he thought bonds deserved the record, Paul Thompson stated, “I think that anyone who cheats to break records not only deserves an asterisk, but they also deserve a stripping from the record books.” Thompson insists race has nothing to do with his decision; it’s just that he doesn’t believe steroid users belong with the game’s greats. Yet Thompson’s view is met with staunch rebellion from fans of bonds, namely one Joe Gramstad. Gramstad is one of those few caucasians who believe bonds deserves the record he’s worked hard for. “The way I see it, he still has to swing the bat and hit the home runs. Steroids build your body, they don’t make you hit the home runs, otherwise anybody could go out and do it”. If there can ever be a solution for his record, it will quickly lead to another debate, one pertaining to Bonds’ enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bonds himself said he expects to be giving an acceptance speech in Cooperstown. Bonds’ statement reflects the idea that the majority of people share with him. In that 2007 survey, 58 percent of the population said they would like to see Bonds inducted into the Hall of Fame. Our resident “experts” managed to come to a consensus on this topic. Gramstad and Thompson both agreed that Bonds should be inducted; yet Thompson believes that an asterisk should stand next to all his records. Only time will tell what happens to our now intrepid “hero”.
As we look back on the years passed, we can all agree no matter how bloated bonds’ ego becomes his skills upon the diamond were other-worldly. His plays and numbers now belong to father time, but for a short 20 years we were able to witness the type of athlete that comes every generation. We were mystified by every long fly ball that touched a piece of heaven and somehow returned to our ordinary earth. Yet with each of those fly balls our minds grew with curiosity, itching to know how a mortal was capable of achieving immortal feats. Finally curiosity killed the cat, and a cheater was exposed. Barry Bonds’ is a name that now lives in infamy, not for the way he played or the things he said, but for his deeds off the field. Many stray the course for a lavish life of luxury, but one stands out. Barry Bonds: the athlete gone awry.