"As far as I’m concerned, Hank Aaron is the all-time home run champ, and Roger Maris should still have the [single-season] record at 61, but Barry Bonds is the name you see in the record book." - Harmon Killebrew
When Idaho's best ever baseball player retired in 1975, he stood at fifth all-time on the home run list with 573 dingers. Now Harmon Killebrew is tied for ninth on the list having been passed by Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, confirmed or suspected steroid abusers all, and Ken Griffey, Jr., who is not a suspect - at least not yet. Alex Rodriquiz, another steroid suspect, hit a 15th innning walk off homer Friday against Boston to tie Killebrew on the all-time list. Here's the current homer leader line-up.
Harmon - here are his career numbers - was signed out of Payette, Idaho by the Washington Senators in 1954 at age 17.
The usually soft spoken and non-controversial Killebrew recently let go with his thoughts about how drugs have tainted - forever perhaps - the great game. He told reporters during the Hall of Fame ceremony recently that the steroid cheaters have "hurt the integrity" of the game. Of course he's right.
A friend remarked recently that he had stumbled on an ESPN Classic re-broadcast of a 1985 World Series game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals and was stunned to see all the normal sized ballplayers. Trim, even skinny guys, used to play major league baseball. (Remember Willie McGee?)
Now days most of the biggest stars look like they sleep on a cot in the weight room.
The Great Killebrew has it right. Release all the names from the 2003 drug tests - the names are going to continue to dribble out - and make a decision on whether records will count or never will.
Where is a commissioner like Bart Giamatti or Fay Vincent when baseball needs them the most?
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Great Killebrew
"As far as I’m concerned, Hank Aaron is the all-time home run champ, and Roger Maris should still have the [single-season] record at 61, but Barry Bonds is the name you see in the record book." - Harmon Killebrew
When Idaho's best ever baseball player retired in 1975, he stood at fifth all-time on the home run list with 573 dingers. Now Harmon Killebrew is tied for ninth on the list having been passed by Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, confirmed or suspected steroid abusers all, and Ken Griffey, Jr., who is not a suspect - at least not yet. Alex Rodriquiz, another steroid suspect, hit a 15th innning walk off homer Friday against Boston to tie Killebrew on the all-time list. Here's the current homer leader line-up.
Harmon - here are his career numbers - was signed out of Payette, Idaho by the Washington Senators in 1954 at age 17.
The usually soft spoken and non-controversial Killebrew recently let go with his thoughts about how drugs have tainted - forever perhaps - the great game. He told reporters during the Hall of Fame ceremony recently that the steroid cheaters have "hurt the integrity" of the game. Of course he's right.
A friend remarked recently that he had stumbled on an ESPN Classic re-broadcast of a 1985 World Series game between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals and was stunned to see all the normal sized ballplayers. Trim, even skinny guys, used to play major league baseball. (Remember Willie McGee?)
Now days most of the biggest stars look like they sleep on a cot in the weight room.
The Great Killebrew has it right. Release all the names from the 2003 drug tests - the names are going to continue to dribble out - and make a decision on whether records will count or never will.
Where is a commissioner like Bart Giamatti or Fay Vincent when baseball needs them the most?
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