Opinion: Home run chase spurs debate

It’s great to live in America, the land of disagreement.

I have friends who believe conservative comedian/commentator Ann Coulter offers wise and hysterical critiques. Other friends believe she ranks as a menace to American civilization.

I have friends who believe Bill Clinton towered as the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln. Other friends believe he’s a lying, philandering buffoon.

Which brings us to Barry Bonds, who proclaims he’s all about team.

“This year,” Bonds said Monday night, “I’ve pretty much tried to stay away from me. I don’t even want to talk about me.”

That’s easy to understand

In my view, Bonds is a pharmaceutical freak who employed Winstrol, Deca-Durabolin, human growth hormone, trenbolone and testosterone decanoate, sometimes known as “Mexican beans,” to collect his home runs.

It’s excruciating to consider he soon will erase Hank Aaron’s career home run record. Unfortunately, it’s also reality.

Disgust with Bonds is the majority view. At 6:41 Monday night, when Bonds approached the plate at Coors Field for the first time this season, the crowd greeted him with a thunderous round of booing and jeering. This ritual ranks among the better features of our state.

Yet condemnation of Bonds isn’t unanimous. He has apologists. They look at his mountain of home runs — he’s smacked 737 — and say the man deserves respect.

Matt Presley, a senior at Cheyenne Mountain, is one of the state’s better high school players. He hit .660 last season and will play for the University of Arizona next season. He might someday compete in the Big Show.

Is Bonds being unfairly persecuted?

“I believe so,” Presley answered. “I mean, 737 home runs is an incredible amount of home runs. He broke the rules of the game, but there are other guys who took steroids out there who haven’t hit near that many home runs. His swing is amazing.”

Presley understands Bonds probably quickened his collection of home runs through steroids. He declines to place Bonds on a pedestal. Yet he fails to understand why many seek to trample Bonds.

“He’s a human being,” Presley said. “He made mistakes, but he’s a good ballplayer, and you shouldn’t take anything away from him.”

What a strange summer awaits us as Bonds prepares to seize ownership of the game’s holy number. The career home run record is the most elusive, most glorious in baseball.

Babe Ruth charmed a nation while hitting 714 home runs. Aaron displayed unwavering class when he busted Ruth’s record.

Aaron has, in his subtle way, revealed his view of Bonds. He will not participate in any Bonds celebration. The soon-to-be dethroned home run king just wants to move beyond this mess.

“I’ve tried to stay out of anything having to do with this, and not because of resentment, but simply because there are so many things that this is attached to that I want to stay out of,” Aaron told ESPN.

Nearly all of us side with Aaron. We’re watching the game’s ultimate fraud chase the game’s ultimate record.

But, this being America, not everyone despises Bonds. When he was introduced, a few dozen fans, most sitting in close proximity to the Giants dugout, rose to cheer.

They stood against the tide of public opinion to applaud baseball’s greatest villain.

What a great country we live in.

Columnist David Ramsey can be reached at 476-4895 or david.ramsey@gazette.com