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Bonds to HOF, "I take care of me."
stown
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Stick it to the man 
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Monday, May 28, 2007
Bonds might not donate prized items to Hall of Fame
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- As Barry Bonds nears his record 756th home run, he's stockpiling quite a collection of souvenirs -- bats, balls, helmets and spikes, pieces of baseball history perfectly suited for the Hall of Fame.
Whether he'll donate any of them to Cooperstown, however, is in doubt.
"I'm not worried about the Hall," the San Francisco slugger said during a recent homer drought. "I take care of me."
No wonder those at the museum are getting concerned, especially with Bonds only 10 homers shy of breaking Hank Aaron's career mark.
"There's uncertainty," Hall vice president Jeff Idelson acknowledged.
Around 35,000 artifacts are shown and stored at the shrine, and about a dozen pertain to Bonds.
There is a bat from his rookie year and cleats from him becoming the first player in the 400-homer/400-steal club. Unsolicited, he sent the bat and ball from his 2,000th hit. A batting practice bat from the 2002 World Series was the last thing Bonds provided.
"Doesn't everybody have the right to decide to do it or not do it?" he said last week.
The most prized items, the ones that fans would really want to see, are missing.
Nothing directly from Bonds to highlight his 500th home run. Ditto for homers 714 and 715, when he tied and passed Babe Ruth. Same for anything tied to him topping Mark McGwire's single-season total of 70.
Hall president Dale Petroskey went to visit Bonds at spring training last year, and instead walked smack into his reality show. The Giants talked to Bonds this year, and hope he'll be in a giving mood as the big moment comes and goes.
So far, Bonds has not indicated he intends to share any Aaron-related memorabilia.
A Hall representative plans to follow Bonds once he gets within a few home runs of Aaron's 755. Idelson has collected treasures for Cooperstown for more than a dozen years.
"Barry is very cognizant of his place in baseball history and we'll try to work closely with him to assure him that how this milestone is represented meets his expectations and ours," Idelson said.
"You need artifacts from the player to do that," he said. "A cap, bat or jersey, anything can tie a visitor to a specific event."
Aaron, who has said he will not attend the record-breaker, is well-documented at the Hall. There are 40 assorted items from his career; Ruth is remembered with more than 30.
The Hall does have the home plate from Bonds' 714th homer and first base and the lineup card from No. 715 -- those came from ballparks, not him.
Bonds has been generous with teammates and opponents. He recently signed a guitar that Giants pitcher Barry Zito gave to charity and autographed a bat for Houston's Craig Biggio. He's also given some of his own things to charity.
Bonds is careful with personal items related to his home run pursuit. He makes certain that hats, jerseys and other things he wears are authenticated, and he keeps them in a warehouse.
He marks them, he said, "so people don't steal my stuff." By his count, he's already able to take care of his next three-plus generations.
Whether that memorabilia shows up on his personal Web site or in Cooperstown remains to be seen. He opted out of Major League Baseball's licensing agreement before the 2004 season, and some of his gear is auctioned off on MLB's Web site -- on Monday, bidding topped $10,000 for a Bonds-signed Giants jersey.
Also to be determined is whether Bonds himself is inducted into the Hall. If he does make it, that could be his first trip to the red-bricked building on Main Street.
Bonds becomes eligible for election five years after his final game, and there's no telling how steroid allegations will affect his vote total.
The Hall is independent of MLB and the word "steroid" does not appear inside the shrine.
"There's not a lot you can say about it," Idelson said. "As the story plays out, we'll address it."
Link
Monday, May 28, 2007
Bonds might not donate prized items to Hall of Fame
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- As Barry Bonds nears his record 756th home run, he's stockpiling quite a collection of souvenirs -- bats, balls, helmets and spikes, pieces of baseball history perfectly suited for the Hall of Fame.
Whether he'll donate any of them to Cooperstown, however, is in doubt.
"I'm not worried about the Hall," the San Francisco slugger said during a recent homer drought. "I take care of me."
No wonder those at the museum are getting concerned, especially with Bonds only 10 homers shy of breaking Hank Aaron's career mark.
"There's uncertainty," Hall vice president Jeff Idelson acknowledged.
Around 35,000 artifacts are shown and stored at the shrine, and about a dozen pertain to Bonds.
There is a bat from his rookie year and cleats from him becoming the first player in the 400-homer/400-steal club. Unsolicited, he sent the bat and ball from his 2,000th hit. A batting practice bat from the 2002 World Series was the last thing Bonds provided.
"Doesn't everybody have the right to decide to do it or not do it?" he said last week.
The most prized items, the ones that fans would really want to see, are missing.
Nothing directly from Bonds to highlight his 500th home run. Ditto for homers 714 and 715, when he tied and passed Babe Ruth. Same for anything tied to him topping Mark McGwire's single-season total of 70.
Hall president Dale Petroskey went to visit Bonds at spring training last year, and instead walked smack into his reality show. The Giants talked to Bonds this year, and hope he'll be in a giving mood as the big moment comes and goes.
So far, Bonds has not indicated he intends to share any Aaron-related memorabilia.
A Hall representative plans to follow Bonds once he gets within a few home runs of Aaron's 755. Idelson has collected treasures for Cooperstown for more than a dozen years.
"Barry is very cognizant of his place in baseball history and we'll try to work closely with him to assure him that how this milestone is represented meets his expectations and ours," Idelson said.
"You need artifacts from the player to do that," he said. "A cap, bat or jersey, anything can tie a visitor to a specific event."
Aaron, who has said he will not attend the record-breaker, is well-documented at the Hall. There are 40 assorted items from his career; Ruth is remembered with more than 30.
The Hall does have the home plate from Bonds' 714th homer and first base and the lineup card from No. 715 -- those came from ballparks, not him.
Bonds has been generous with teammates and opponents. He recently signed a guitar that Giants pitcher Barry Zito gave to charity and autographed a bat for Houston's Craig Biggio. He's also given some of his own things to charity.
Bonds is careful with personal items related to his home run pursuit. He makes certain that hats, jerseys and other things he wears are authenticated, and he keeps them in a warehouse.
He marks them, he said, "so people don't steal my stuff." By his count, he's already able to take care of his next three-plus generations.
Whether that memorabilia shows up on his personal Web site or in Cooperstown remains to be seen. He opted out of Major League Baseball's licensing agreement before the 2004 season, and some of his gear is auctioned off on MLB's Web site -- on Monday, bidding topped $10,000 for a Bonds-signed Giants jersey.
Also to be determined is whether Bonds himself is inducted into the Hall. If he does make it, that could be his first trip to the red-bricked building on Main Street.
Bonds becomes eligible for election five years after his final game, and there's no telling how steroid allegations will affect his vote total.
The Hall is independent of MLB and the word "steroid" does not appear inside the shrine.
"There's not a lot you can say about it," Idelson said. "As the story plays out, we'll address it."
So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
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Comments
Bosox1976
<< <i>He's going to sell that stuff on his website ungrateful.com ... >>
Good for him. Looks like he's decided to wait and see how the HOF treats him before he decides how to treat the HOF, which seems fair to me. And if the HOF wants any of his stuff bad enough they can do what the rest of the free world does when it wants something-- -pay for it.
Bonds is almost assuredly an insufferable human being, but I do like when he does something that so clearly demonstrates his indifference towards the opinions that others have of him. That's a trait I respect in just about everybody, and in this sense Bonds is no exception. The fact that he's flipping the bird to the HOF (the same people who haven't admitted Ron Freaking Santo to their fraudulent little fraternity of baseball elites) makes it that much sweeter.
all broken by cheaters...who really cares? If I was head of Cooperstown I would put only two things next to Bonds picture..a
syringe and a lemon.
JS
Truth is though that "indifference" act is a total charade by Bonds. Bonds most certainly DOES care about what others think of him, as the main reason he chose to start doing steroids in the first place is because of his jealousy of McGwire and Sosa back in 1998. He was a lock HOFer before that point, but that wasn't good enough, he felt like he wasn't getting the love he deserved so he took his game to the next level, so to speak. Guys like him who go out of their way to claim that they don't care what anyone else thinks are usually quite fixated on public perception, actually.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
I'm not a Bonds fan (in the personal sense), though I am a Giants fan and lived in the Bay Area until 2003. And while Bonds will never be Mister Congeniality, frankly the media are trying to spin him into some kind of evil bastid. I've seen it time and time again. Almost all articles concerning Bonds are spun as negatively as reasonably possible. The guy could save children from a burning house and the media reports would imply he only did it to improve his image.
<< <i>Truth is though that "indifference" act is a total charade by Bonds. >>
There may not be a player in any sport who ever cared as much what others think of him as Bonds does; the (transparent) charade that he does not is pathetic, even for Bonds.
If I were in charge of the HOF, the only exhibit I would allow that even mentioned Barry Bonds by name would be two pairs of his shoes - a size 10 1/2 pair from when he was a human being and a size 13 pair from his mutant years.
<< <i>Bonds is such an a$$hole that when he is elected to the HOF, he will probably try to walk off with the plaque. That is if he even showed up for the ceremony. For some reason, I could actually see him snubbing them. >>
Oh give me a break. Not even Bonds would do something like that. Would he...? I mean, the HOF is the dream of every little boy playing baseball (well, maybe that little thing called a World Series Championship might rank a bit higher though). I doubt even Bonds would snub something like that. Well, maybe Albert "Dennis Rodman of baseball" Belle might, but luckily he couldn't see the HOF with a telescope.
Dimes: 54S, 53P, 50P, 49S, 45D+S, 44S, 43D, 41S, 40D+S, 39D+S, 38D+S, 37D+S, 36S, 35D+S, all 16-34's
Quarters: 52S, 47S, 46S, 40S, 39S, 38S, 37D+S, 36D+S, 35D, 34D, 32D+S
74 Topps: 37,38,46,47,48,138,151,193,210,214,223,241,256,264,268,277,289,316,435,552,570,577,592,602,610,654,655
1997 Finest silver: 115, 135, 139, 145, 310
1995 Ultra Gold Medallion Sets: Golden Prospects, HR Kings, On-Base Leaders, Power Plus, RBI Kings, Rising Stars
<< <i>
Bonds is almost assuredly an insufferable human being, but I do like when he does something that so clearly demonstrates his indifference towards the opinions that others have of him. That's a trait I respect in just about everybody, and in this sense Bonds is no exception. The fact that he's flipping the bird to the HOF (the same people who haven't admitted Ron Freaking Santo to their fraudulent little fraternity of baseball elites) makes it that much sweeter. >>
I think I know exactly what you're saying as far respecting that trait in people goes. I look at a fictional character like Melvin Udall in "As Good As It Gets" as an example. While it's easy to hate the character for all the terrible things he does and says, you've got to respect him for saying exactly what he thinks and feels without caring how other people are going to interpret it. I respect that trait and it amuses me, but I'd hate it if we all decided to fashion our lives in that way.
<< <i>
<< <i>Truth is though that "indifference" act is a total charade by Bonds. >>
There may not be a player in any sport who ever cared as much what others think of him as Bonds does; the (transparent) charade that he does not is pathetic, even for Bonds.
If I were in charge of the HOF, the only exhibit I would allow that even mentioned Barry Bonds by name would be two pairs of his shoes - a size 10 1/2 pair from when he was a human being and a size 13 pair from his mutant years. >>
I should rephrase that. Bonds may care what others think of him; but he does not care if he's liked.
He is the paragon of narcissism, which I think explains much of his behavior, but someone who courted the favor of others wouldn't do the things he's done. Stifffing a charity that asks you to sign a Pirates team ball for a kid struck by leukemia because it would compromise your contract with Steiner (or whomever)? Putting a Laz-E-Boy in front of your locker with a T.V that ONLY YOU are allowed to watch? Someone who 'wants to be liked' doesn't do this kind of stuff. He may want to be respected, or revered, or deified or whatever, but I don't think he gives a goddamn if the sporting world thinks he's a sweetheart.
Also, screw the HOF. Baseball is a team sport. You show up, you play, and when you get too old or disinterested to do it any longer you quit. the HOF would be a far more interesting place-- and would do a much better job of conforming to the spirit of the game-- if they just inducted teams, and not individuals. Put in the '27 Yankees, the '68 Tigers, the '55 Dodgers and so on.
<< <i>
<< <i>
Bonds is almost assuredly an insufferable human being, but I do like when he does something that so clearly demonstrates his indifference towards the opinions that others have of him. That's a trait I respect in just about everybody, and in this sense Bonds is no exception. The fact that he's flipping the bird to the HOF (the same people who haven't admitted Ron Freaking Santo to their fraudulent little fraternity of baseball elites) makes it that much sweeter. >>
I think I know exactly what you're saying as far respecting that trait in people goes. I look at a fictional character like Melvin Udall in "As Good As It Gets" as an example. While it's easy to hate the character for all the terrible things he does and says, you've got to respect him for saying exactly what he thinks and feels without caring how other people are going to interpret it. I respect that trait and it amuses me, but I'd hate it if we all decided to fashion our lives in that way. >>
Great post, Von. I could not have said it better.
"The answer was in the Patriots eyes. Gone were the swagger and c0ck sure smirks, replaced by downcast eyes and heads in hands. For his poise and leadership Eli Manning was named the game's MVP. The 2007 Giants were never perfect nor meant to be. They were fighters, scrappers....now they could be called something else, World Champions."
<< <i>Maybe Bonds will donate some of his "the clear" to the HOF. >>
Im sure he used that all up.
God, I hope that is true about 10 1/2 shoes now size 13
Bosox1976
<< <i>God, I hope that is true about 10 1/2 shoes now size 13
Link
"Equally startling are these numbers: According to Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, the San Francisco Chronicle reporters who wrote "Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal That Rocked Professional Sports," Mike Murphy, equipment manager of the San Francisco Giants, testified that since Bonds became a Giant in 1993, the size of his uniform jersey has gone from 42 to 52. His cap size has expanded from 7 1/8 to 7 1/4, even though while it was expanding he shaved his head. (Bonds reportedly shaved his head because his hair was falling out as a result of steroid use.) And Fainaru-Wada and Williams also say Murphy testified that Bonds's baseball shoe size has changed from 10½ to 13."
It takes willful ignorance on a massive scale to believe that there is even a shadow of a doubt that Bonds used steroids, used them for many years, and used them in quantities far in excess of what few, if any, athletes have ever dared before. My only comfort in the entire matter is that Aaron will almost certainly outlive him.
They used stimulants during Ruth's time and during Mantles time. Our soldiers have been using steroids for decades. Then when you look at someone like McGwire, who was likely guilty of using a steroid that was not illegal at the time he was using it. The problem with rules like this is they change continually.
The bigger problem I see is the media. The media is a master at asking you the same question 100 times or until they get an answer they can spin for their article. Have any of you ever done a press release? I have several times and never once did they get the story completely correct. Every meteorite news article is full of assumptions (which are usually wrong) and bold incorrect statements. Not most, but every one. I would be a fool to assume that news writers get everything but meteorites correct.
If it was anyone else but Bonds, the MLB would be promoting the home run chase to death. The HOF wants the game uniform but will likely not enshire Bonds. Life is a two-way street, I think if I was Bonds I would tell them all to screw themselves.
Mark
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>If it was anyone else but Bonds, the MLB would be promoting the home run chase to death. The HOF wants the game uniform but will likely not enshire Bonds. Life is a two-way street, I think if I was Bonds I would tell them all to screw themselves. >>
The problem with the "if it was anyone else" construction is that it imples that it could possibly be "anyone else". Other than Bonds, whose HR total would not even be in the same ZIP code as Aaron's if he had not used steroids, who else could it possibly be? Absent massive steroid abuse there isn't "anyone else" who might even theoretically be chasing this record. So, if not for Bonds, the MLB would have no home run chase to promote.
And "if I was Bonds" then I'd likely say or do any fool thing that entered my pea brain and nobody with an ounce of sense would care what the hell I said or did. Barry Bonds will look every bit as pathetic when he breaks Aaron's record as Rosie Ruiz would look today if she bragged about her 1980 Boston Marathon victory. And anyone who congratulates him or celebrates his accomplishment will look every bit as foolish as they would look congratulating Ruiz.