Last Saturday was the second highest attended day in MLB history.
http://pressbox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070722&content_id=2102642&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
On top of that, one of sports most exciting events is unfolding in front of our eyes; the breaking of a legendary record. The home run record in baseball is akin to the all-time rushing record in football, or the all-time scoring record in basketball. As individual records go they are the kingpins.
I remember Hank Aaron's pursuit of Babe Ruth's record in 1974 ( I was 2 years-old at the time) and the great anticipation and excitement it created. Although Aaron received racially motivated death threats, it seemed the population as a whole was rooting for him. I followed each homerun as "Hammerin Hank" drew closer to the record and watched on TV as he broke the record, while thinking I had just witnessed something that may not occur again in my lifetime.
Well I'm still alive and the record will be broken again, however I have a confession to make. I have not been following Barry Bonds home run totals, nor am I eagerly anticipating the breaking of the record; as a matter of fact, I have no idea how many dingers Bonds is sitting on. Why? I guess it's because I feel like Mr. Bonds has taken his metal spikes and stomped on baseball history like a glass baseball trodden over by a steamroller.
The use of a performance enhancing drug (steroids) will cast a hollow ring to the record for me, while marking baseball with a black eye and sending an unfortunate message to our youth. Cheat and you will be greatly rewarded.
Good luck on breaking the record Mr. Bonds. I won't be watching!
These are exciting days for Major League Baseball aren't they?
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