As someone who was not lucky enough to be around to witness the history as it happened, I appreciated columnist Chuck Frederick's account of Hank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run ("Bonds' home-run chase revives sweeter memory," May 19).
I've been similarly interested in the history of America's pastime. For me it started when I was growing up in Kansas City and was told to go to bed during the seventh inning of game seven of the 1985 World Series. I had school the next day, but there was no way I was going to go to sleep. I managed to listen to the game on my Walkman. My Kansas City Royals won 11-0, and I remember seeing blue-and-white fireworks from my bedroom window.
I cheered so loudly I could have awakened everyone in my neighborhood. Of course, the only ones asleep were kids who had mean parents or St. Louis Cardinals fans dreaming of what could have been.
I could not imagine having missed that history-in-the-making moment, especially coming as it did after a clearly blown call in the sixth game of the series. The umpire admitted the mistake years later, but the trophy still belongs to Kansas City.
I don't feel anyone should turn a blind eye when history happens, no matter how bad the events may be. Who are we to try to rewrite history before it happens?
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And that's as true in sports as anywhere. Pete Rose eventually admitted to betting on his own team, the Cincinnati Reds, but he's still one of the greatest hitters of all time. The 1919 Black Sox were charged with "fixing" the World Series, but that team still had to be good enough to get to the series to "fix" it.
So even if many of us wish that a surprise blackout happens at the exact moment Barry Bonds' bat cracks home run No. 756 -- breaking Aaron's career mark --the ball still will be wet in McCovey Cove in San Francisco, assuming that's where he hits his record shot. Even if we try to scratch Bonds from the record books, his record will still stand. Even if Bonds used steroids and lied about it, he still had to see 90 mph fastballs and get enough wood on such a pitch 756 times -- in between all the walks and injuries.
I'm confused why some people seem to want to scratch Bonds from the record books over speculation. Especially when, at the same time, no one seems to be trying to erase Mark McGwire's home runs -- and he most certainly lied about using steroids. No one is taking Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi off the home-run lists, either, and they admitted to using steroids. For them, it's no longer speculation.
As a proud American, I strongly believe in innocence until guilt is proven. After becoming a Giants fan while attending Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif., near San Francisco, I watched Barry Bonds "grow up" over his career. I'm not saying he did or didn't use performance enhancers. I am saying it hasn't been proven.
I also believe in the ex post facto clause of the Constitution: One cannot be charged with a crime that was not a crime at the time. It was only a few years ago when Major League Baseball officially listed steroids and performance enhancers as banned substances. Therefore, to completely scratch Bonds' home runs would be un-American.
As a baseball fan, I will be watching as many of Bonds' at- bats as possible this season. I've even subscribed to ESPN Gamecasts and to breaking news alerts from Major League Baseball. I will know exactly where my son and I were when No. 756 hits Mc Covey Cove -- or when it flies over the Green Monster in Boston or clangs off the slide at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Maybe this time I'll be lucky enough to be there.
One thing's for sure: This baseball fan won't be sleeping through history, no matter who tells me to go to bed.
Tom Raniere of Duluth works as a youth counselor and team supervisor at Woodland Hills.
