By John W. Lillpop
As of May 11, Barry Bonds is tied for the National League lead in home runs with 11.
Eleven homers from now, the Sullen One will be crowned baseball’s all time career home run king, eclipsing the 755 hit by Henry Aaron.
Bonds may break the record in the next month or so, because, after a slow start, he is belting the ball with authority once again.
When homer 756 sails out of the yard in San Francisco or other venue, Giants’ fans will celebrate the occasion with gusto, pride, and plenty of “medical” marijuana and cheap liquor.
And why shouldn’t they?
After all, the Giants have not captured a World Championship since moving to San Francisco in 1958, and have let their desperate fans down on more than one occasion.
Most disturbing to Giants’ fans is that while their heroes have never hoisted a Championship flag, their bitter rivals to the south, the Los Angeles Dodgers, have done so five times since cutting and running from Brooklyn in 1958.
Truth be told, the Giants are the western edition of the Chicago Cubs. Ouch!
Having the most coveted record in professional sports in Barry Bonds’ trophy cabinet would give local fans powerful bragging rights, especially when confronting despicable fans of those hated Dodgers.
Imagine the banter: Five World Series rings, is that all you smog-choked Dodgers fans have to brag about? In The City we have clean air AND the greatest home run slugger in history going back more than 100 years!
One slight glitch could put a damper on the pomp and circumstance when Bonds delivers number 756:
Bonds is up to his ear ring in controversy and is reportedly being investigated by the federal government for tax evasion and perjury.
If that is not bad enough, Bonds is also a prime target for those trying to eradicate steroids from America’s pastime.
The big question on everyone’s mind is: Will Bonds be indicted before or after connecting for 756? When will his involvement with steroids be finally known and settled?
The really big question in the midst of all this melodrama is this: Why has the baseball commissioner not acted to protect the integrity of baseball without stepping on the famous toes of Barry Bonds?
Why not a temporary moratorium on the homer run record until the steroids issue is fully resolved?
Bonds would continue to accumulate home runs but, on the occasion of number 756, why not break out an asterisk to denote that the record remains at 755 until the Mitchell Commission files its final report?
The even larger question: Is there a commissioner in the house other than the pathetic used car sales man named Bud Selig who seems to be sitting on his asterisk when urgent action is called for?
John Lillpop is a recovering liberal.
