Love, Beauty and Baseball
Praise God, Kim and Alex made it safely to Seattle.
I was at bigDrag practice when Bonds hit 756. I said I wanted to see the home run if I could, I certainly wasn’t going to put my life on hold for it. I love baseball but my music is me and that’s that.
I sound like one of those stupid ‘my music’ or ‘my game’ guys don’t I? Sorry about that.
The part of the home run call that was most appropriate was “…and Barry Bonds stands alone.”
That was maybe more appropriate than the announcer intended. But I won't go into the type of player in a team sport Barry is, or how he isolated and alienated baseball fans in his strange pursuit of all this. I think there is redemption for everyone even Barry Bonds, and even Barry Bonds as home run champion.
He didn't stand alone for long last night. He had his godfather, the great and somewhat bitter Say Hey Kid....
Aand he received a surprise message as well...
God Bless you Hank Aaron for adding some semblance of grace to the evening.
Not Mark Grace, I’m sure last night Gracie was on his third shot of Jaeger, second pack or Marlboro Reds, and looking for a nice slumpbuster to settle down with for the evening.
Devin was on me the other night for my “defense” of Bonds, or my explanation as to why I was watching Frankenstein chase the Hammer. When Dev said “Look dude, you can say what you want about reality tv and the Bonds chase but he’s turning baseball into that shit. He’s turning baseball into wrestling. I thought you loved baseball.”
Again, fine point by my dear friend.
In watching the replay of Aaron’s speech I was reminded of all that is good and all that is real in baseball.
Eras come and go.
Records fall.
For better or worse, men become part of a greater mythology.
Henry Aaron did something amazing with his pre-recorded speech on the Tyrann-O-Vision at the ballpark formerly known as Pac Bell…
Before our eyes, this man straddled the line between mortal man and legend. He made baseball fans feel like he knew what he was doing all along, there was no point for Hank Aaron to follow this circus. He was in a circus in 1974 and the clowns were armed with hate and maybe sniper rifles.
In Henry Aaron’s eyes I saw a man who stood on top of a mountain for 30 some years. He held the greatest record in all of sports. It is a record that every fan with passion knows by heart. For many years baseball fans taught their kids 714, and for the last 33 years they told them to remember 755.
Ironically, until Barry is done we won’t know what number to tell our kids, and maybe there will be other things difficult to teach about this complex man.
But forget the irony and forget Bonds for now. I’ll come back to him when he doesn’t make the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
I want to think of Henry Aaron. I believe he was sincere when he said the most significant achievement was not the record itself but how the record could inspire others. I don’t think Henry Aaron was foolish enough to believe that simply by his own power, hitting 755 home runs inspired anyone to do anything. He seems to be a man of great depth and understanding.
What the Hammer knows, I’m sure, is how baseball itself inspires dreams in its fans, how history and miracles live between lines of chalk and are recalled with numbers like
56
755
.400
714
61
2005
…ok, I had to get that last one in there. Sorry cub fans.
We see these numbers, we tell the stories, we know that if we saw the stuff of baseball in a movie we would laugh and then ask for our money back because there is no way we can suspend our belief and take in the impossible.
In remembering these moments and incredible stories we think that magic or miracles are possible, even in ordinary lives. Baseball has an “ordinary sense” to it in that it is played on a daily basis for a significant portion of the year.
We are inspired by the unforgettable seasons, records, the brilliant plays in the course of average or below average seasons. This is what Aaron meant. He knew his part was a significant one but what made it significant was the love of baseball and the fans who embrace all that is beautiful in their beloved.
Aaron said he was privileged to hold the record for 33 years. Let me say on behalf of all baseball fans, we were privileged to have the Hammer as the Home Run King.
I know that Americans are supposed to love democracy and baseball is supposed to be the American pastime. But that is part of the dream of baseball. We fans want a king.
One can view the new record holder as a usurper or a villain of some sort but I prefer to think of Henry Aaron’s steady eyes and calm voice as he said he was now moving over for the new record holder.
You weren’t moving aside Mr. Aaron. You moved up the mountain where men do not need numbers. Your achievement and the part you played in the history of baseball has certainly inspired many. But you inspired me one more time last night, not with your bat, not with a number, but with your dignity.
Who knows, you may have even inspired the guy who hit 756…
Ok, now I sound like I've taken a few too many to the old bean.
I was at bigDrag practice when Bonds hit 756. I said I wanted to see the home run if I could, I certainly wasn’t going to put my life on hold for it. I love baseball but my music is me and that’s that.
I sound like one of those stupid ‘my music’ or ‘my game’ guys don’t I? Sorry about that.
The part of the home run call that was most appropriate was “…and Barry Bonds stands alone.”
That was maybe more appropriate than the announcer intended. But I won't go into the type of player in a team sport Barry is, or how he isolated and alienated baseball fans in his strange pursuit of all this. I think there is redemption for everyone even Barry Bonds, and even Barry Bonds as home run champion.
He didn't stand alone for long last night. He had his godfather, the great and somewhat bitter Say Hey Kid....
Aand he received a surprise message as well...
God Bless you Hank Aaron for adding some semblance of grace to the evening.
Not Mark Grace, I’m sure last night Gracie was on his third shot of Jaeger, second pack or Marlboro Reds, and looking for a nice slumpbuster to settle down with for the evening.
Devin was on me the other night for my “defense” of Bonds, or my explanation as to why I was watching Frankenstein chase the Hammer. When Dev said “Look dude, you can say what you want about reality tv and the Bonds chase but he’s turning baseball into that shit. He’s turning baseball into wrestling. I thought you loved baseball.”
Again, fine point by my dear friend.
In watching the replay of Aaron’s speech I was reminded of all that is good and all that is real in baseball.
Eras come and go.
Records fall.
For better or worse, men become part of a greater mythology.
Henry Aaron did something amazing with his pre-recorded speech on the Tyrann-O-Vision at the ballpark formerly known as Pac Bell…
Before our eyes, this man straddled the line between mortal man and legend. He made baseball fans feel like he knew what he was doing all along, there was no point for Hank Aaron to follow this circus. He was in a circus in 1974 and the clowns were armed with hate and maybe sniper rifles.
In Henry Aaron’s eyes I saw a man who stood on top of a mountain for 30 some years. He held the greatest record in all of sports. It is a record that every fan with passion knows by heart. For many years baseball fans taught their kids 714, and for the last 33 years they told them to remember 755.
Ironically, until Barry is done we won’t know what number to tell our kids, and maybe there will be other things difficult to teach about this complex man.
But forget the irony and forget Bonds for now. I’ll come back to him when he doesn’t make the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
I want to think of Henry Aaron. I believe he was sincere when he said the most significant achievement was not the record itself but how the record could inspire others. I don’t think Henry Aaron was foolish enough to believe that simply by his own power, hitting 755 home runs inspired anyone to do anything. He seems to be a man of great depth and understanding.
What the Hammer knows, I’m sure, is how baseball itself inspires dreams in its fans, how history and miracles live between lines of chalk and are recalled with numbers like
56
755
.400
714
61
2005
…ok, I had to get that last one in there. Sorry cub fans.
We see these numbers, we tell the stories, we know that if we saw the stuff of baseball in a movie we would laugh and then ask for our money back because there is no way we can suspend our belief and take in the impossible.
In remembering these moments and incredible stories we think that magic or miracles are possible, even in ordinary lives. Baseball has an “ordinary sense” to it in that it is played on a daily basis for a significant portion of the year.
We are inspired by the unforgettable seasons, records, the brilliant plays in the course of average or below average seasons. This is what Aaron meant. He knew his part was a significant one but what made it significant was the love of baseball and the fans who embrace all that is beautiful in their beloved.
Aaron said he was privileged to hold the record for 33 years. Let me say on behalf of all baseball fans, we were privileged to have the Hammer as the Home Run King.
I know that Americans are supposed to love democracy and baseball is supposed to be the American pastime. But that is part of the dream of baseball. We fans want a king.
One can view the new record holder as a usurper or a villain of some sort but I prefer to think of Henry Aaron’s steady eyes and calm voice as he said he was now moving over for the new record holder.
You weren’t moving aside Mr. Aaron. You moved up the mountain where men do not need numbers. Your achievement and the part you played in the history of baseball has certainly inspired many. But you inspired me one more time last night, not with your bat, not with a number, but with your dignity.
Who knows, you may have even inspired the guy who hit 756…
Ok, now I sound like I've taken a few too many to the old bean.
posted by edP | 8:14 PM
4 Comments:
Good post. I'd wrestled with several different ways to write about Bonds, but figured I'd just come off as an old-coot.
I fell asleep watching ESPN that night and woke up after he'd hit the homer.
The Bonds situation makes us baseball fans think doesn't he.
Grant did you stay awake for our beloved SOX last night? Playoffs my friend...it is within reach.
The Native Americans have Joe Boroski closing for them. That's like having Mitch Williams trying to finish off a World Series game for ya...
Don't stop believing!
From someone who lives less than an hour from Giant's stadium--- a sizable number of die-hard fans out here are still shaking our heads--- it just doesn't feel the same as Hank Aaron's record. There's the taint of drugs and other substances that just renders it not as.... pure. There was subdued partying in Oakland- there's been a large number of racially motivated murders there lately including a well-known and well thought of newspaper editor and death threats to another minority editor. The CHP (yes, CHiPs) are assisting in the patroling of Oakland as of Saturday. It's sad really
One day when someone respectable breaks Bonds record we'll all look back on this and laugh. I figure I got about 40 years left on this rock so let's get someone on that ASAP.
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