Home Run King Wears Tarnished Crown
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Home Run King Wears Tarnished Crown
On August 7, 2007 Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants left-fielder, hit his 756th homerun to break Hank Aarons record of 755. According to an article entitled “Barry Bonds Breaks Home Run Record” posted on CBSnews.com on August 8, 2007, Bonds felt ecstatic that this day finally came and celebrated gleefully as he ran the final 90 feet to home plate to make it official. After a long career of playing outstanding baseball, people have started talking about information that could hurt his career. People have accused Barry Bonds of taking steroids, to give him the power he has. If he has, many people want his record to not go down in books, and want the record erased. I believe that Barry Bonds legitimately broke Hank Aarons homerun record and that without proof of steroid use, the record should stand.
I believe that Barry Bonds home runs should count for many reasons. He has never admitted to taking steroids, and no one has proved that he has; if he has never taken steroids then this creates an unfair situation. After reading the evidence provided in many newspaper articles, I do believe that he took the steroids. However, even if he did take them, I do not think that this should have any bearing on whether or not his homerun record goes down in the books. As a huge fan of baseball, I love it for many reasons. I think the game, the playing of it, the traditions and rules, the players, and the true team aspect of it, make it the greatest of all sports. Because I follow baseball I know the importance of record breaking in the sport. Hank Aarons homerun record, and Barry Bonds breaking of it demonstrate outstanding ability. Barry Bonds continually gets congratulated for his accomplishments and people should just look at the good side of things. Commissioner of baseball Bud Selig did not attend the record breaking game but issued a statement later in which he said, “While the issues which have swirled around this record will continue to work themselves toward resolution, today is a day for congratulations on a truly remarkable achievement” (1). I contain a lot of anger and frustration because people do not give him as much praise as he should get, for making such a wonderful accomplishment in history.
I believe that while steroid use is wrong, and that all athletes in competitions should follow the rules.