As the biggest baseball fan imaginable in my childhood, I simply never thought I’d see the day someone hit 756. Legit or not, it’s an amazing record and huge day for baseball. Congrats to Barry. He was a great, great player even before he (apparently) took steroids, and he has handled himself very, very well this year. It’s definitely a bit sad that this day is tainted by the controversy — it’s overshadowing just how hallowed and unbreakable this record was considered to be not so long ago.
Myself, I’ll give Barry the benefit of the doubt for now — innocent until proven guilty, and all that (though I do expect he will eventually be proven guilty). At this point, I’m comfortable calling him the greatest player that ever lived.
001 // Matt Robin // 08.08.2007 // 2:32 AM
Yeah, I agree - it’s a great moment in Baseball…almost regardless of the doping allegations. Well done to Barry! :)
(Says me - an Englishman who didn’t grow-up with Baseball…but still knows the significance of the record being broken).
002 // Brian Ford // 08.08.2007 // 9:44 AM
Eh. I think it’s just a reminder that Baseball doesn’t really have much of an appeal anymore beyond record breaking moments like this. Baseball is a relic of the past. I also hate how these moments generally overshadow everything else in the sport for the month or so leading up to the “big moment.”
003 // Jeff Croft // 08.08.2007 // 10:10 AM
Actually, Brian, if you look at viewing numbers and ticket sales, it looks like baseball is really on the upswing again. Over the past few years, people have really started to take to it. It may never again see the popularity it had 30 years ago, but it’s definitely improving. And it’s still the greatest game ever invented. :)
004 // Brian Ford // 08.08.2007 // 6:04 PM
Obligatory Futurama quote:
LEELA:
Face it, Fry, baseball was as boring as mom and apple pie. That’s why they jazzed it up.
FRY:
Boring? Baseball wasn’t… hmmm, so they finally jazzed it up.