Jackie Robinson Day

April 15th is Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball.

The occasion will be celebrated with on field ceremonies, scholarship donations to the Robinson Fund and all the other pleasantries and tributes that are deserved by an American hero.

It is ironic that on the day that Jackie Robinson's role in integrating Major League baseball is remembered, some rosters in major league baseball will be absent of a single Black American player. In that context, Torii Hunter of the Anaheim Angels feels the tributes ring hollow, especially when it comes to wearing Robinson's #42 jersey.

"When you have a team that doesn't have any African American players on the team, and then everybody on the team wears it, yes, it's watered down, because they don't have blacks to represent Jackie Robinson over there.

It's pretty weird. That's just my opinion."

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig feels that MLB's celebration is appropriate.

"It transcends all that. Jackie Robinson coming into baseball is the most powerful and most meaningful moment in baseball history. To honor Jackie Robinson by wearing his number, I think, is the greatest compliment you can pay."

Perhaps.

Still, Jackie Robinson is not an excuse for mainstream America to romanticize and even commercialize Black heroes of the Civil Rights era to the extent that the significance of their impact on society is watered down.

One has to wonder whether the Jackie Robinson legacy is really understood. Will his legacy be given its due in the Robert Redford/ESPN movie soon to be made out of his life? Robert Redford, with the approval of Jackie's widow Rachel, will portray Branch Rickie in the life story of Jackie Robinson. ESPN will collaborate in producing the movie. With Redford as the headliner, the movie may turn out to be more of a testament to the "struggles" of Rickie more so than Robinson.

The same league that perhaps celebrates Robinson in rose-colored historical theory is the same league that is presently content to see another Black-American hero, Barry Bonds, in career exile. Presently, it is not known whether Bonds' value will extend beyond the $376,000 his last home run ball sold for at auction. Bonds has given as much to baseball as any player, yet he is barely acknowledged these days. Ironically, Barry's sins may ultimately be defined and put into perspective by the similar sins of a White player, Roger Clemens. Without the parallel transgression, logic can't allow Barry to remain a pariah, even in the minds of the most prejudiced. Indeed, I think Jackie Robinson would expect a Black man to be judged on his own in this day and age.

Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues. Genuine integration means more than just the inclusion of a particular race, although Robinson would probably be surprised to learn that Blacks comprise barely 8% of major league rosters. True integration also refers to the inclusion and celebration of difference. Baseball should include all its heroes - those as "surly" as Bonds and those as "classy" as Robinson. MLB can't pretend that Barry Bonds doesn't exist any more than it can deny that some major league rosters lack a single Black-American player in the year 2008. Not unless they want to overlook the real meaning of Jackie Robinson day.

Like me, Torii Hunter feels that #42 is more than just a fashion statement.

Barry Bonds is a Baseball Hero and Hank Aaron is Not a Hater

Firstly, I want to say that Hank Aaron did enough. I've accused Hank of being a hater in past posts. But he did enough. I'm satisfied. It wasn't necessarily personal. Hank's sentiments weren't all that heartfelt. And they were a surprise to most of us, although they were recorded a month ago. Hank did the best that he could and that's all that's required.

"It is a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."

Aaron and Bud Selig conspired on what was the best way to minimally acknowledge Bonds, but I feel fine with discussing Barry Bonds as the home run king by opening up with a Hank Aaron mention. They are forever linked. But Bonds is separate now.

I hope you enjoyed the moment.

No matter what your feelings specifically are about Barry, you've got to love the game more than the innuendo. Everybody at AT&T Park was genuinely exhalted.

I loved it from start to finish.

The hit itself. Not blingy all the way into the Cove, but hit to one of the deepest areas of the park. The crowd, who clapped for 20 something minutes. The family (hat tip to Barry who, like Tom Glavine, acknowledged the start of school as a major source of pressure). The cajones and class of Mick Bacsik, who wasn't afraid to challenge Bonds with pitches and become a part of history. The TV announcers, who saved the other side of the story until several minutes after the milestone. Bud Selig, a jerk who doesn't know how to act in public, managed to find enough cell phone minutes to call and congratulate Barry. ESPN/MLB who saved the steroids PSA until the top of the eighth inning. Willie Mays, the devoted godfather.

And Barry, who seemed genuinely ecstatic and respectful of the accomplishment - who doted over Willie, smiled genuinely at the Hank Aaron tribute and almost broke down at the hint of his father Bobby's name crossing his lips.

"When I saw Hank Aaron that made everything. We've always loved him. He's always the home run king."

He's a jerk. He's a juicer. But he's a baseball hero. It's over now. Barry Lamar Bonds is the home run king. No more debate. It is what it is. Just enjoy it.

Perspective

Mike Nifong, the disgraced prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse case, was a scapegoat. Not to say he wasn't wrong or unethical or even criminal. However, relative to the conduct of other attorneys in other prominent sports related cases, he is a choir boy.

Do you know how difficult it is to get disbarred? Difficult. Very, very difficult. Most cases of disbarment center around the theft of client's money. Nifong was disbarred mostly for calling the accused, "hooligans." He was also guilty of some inappropriate (but not necessarily malicious) withholding of evidence and maybe the general understaffed and overworked neglect that plagues the realities of working in a prosecutors' office (or typical law practice, for that matter). The defense team had vast resources and used those resources to punish Nifong. It's possible that Nifong was the vile man the defense painted him to be. It's possible that he's not.

Compare Nifong to some other attorneys.

David McDade, the Douglas County prosecutor of the Genarlow Wilson case is currently under fire for potential distribution of child pornography. Nifong engaged in some "sticks and stones" antics, but child pornography? That's bad.

McDade distributed 35 copies of video portraying Genarlow Wilson, 17, engaging in sex with a minor female, 15, to various parties, including media, without even blurring out the faces of the minors involved. McDade says Georgia's open records laws would have compelled the release of the video regardless of his distribution. The federal prosecutor disagrees. The United States prosecutor in Georgia, David Nahmias, issued an opinion that the video constitutes child pornography. Yet, he mildly requested that McDade stop distributing the video - three plus years after the fact. Although even merely viewing child pornography is illegal, McDade is not presently facing disbarment.

A Georgia state senator, Emanuel Jones, has called for McDade's disbarment. Under the "Nifong standard," he should be disbarred a million times.

Troy Ellerman, the attorney who leaked grand jury testimony in the Barry Bonds BALCO matter, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to thirty months in prison.

And he deserves it. Leaking grand jury testimony is also very bad.

Grand jury proceedings are secret and essential to the government's right to investigate. The violation of grand jury secrecy is a violation of the most fundamental of legal principles. It's akin to not reading Miranda rights or not granting a person a jury of their peers. It's not as sexy as insulting some dudes on the word of some stripper, but it's reprehensible nonetheless. Ellerman got what he deserved.

If Mike Nifong's disbarment was deserved, I hope the standard is applied evenly. Too many lawyers play games with the media and the public. If Nifong's shame was a warning to the Nancy Grace's and all the other talking heads alleging to give informed, neutral legal opinions, then his disbarment was the beginning of a positive trend. If not? Just remember to maintain some perspective on the "severity" of his offenses.

Still a Hater!

Hammerin' Hank has not been swayed by my pleas for him to publicly support Barry Bonds. In fact, I think he's been angered.

“I will never reconsider my decision."

Never? Never ever? So harsh. Think about it, please?

“No, I won’t be there.”

Any well wishes or advise for the next home run king?

“I don’t have any advice whatsoever, no advice to anybody.”

Shit.

Whether He Likes It Or Not

Hank Aaron has recently said that he'll be somewhere playing golf when Barry Bonds breaks the home run record. But Hank Aaron will be present for the milestone whether he likes it or not - when the jumbotron announces the breaking of the record, on the chyron when they show the highlights on TV, and on the minds of some people who will be distressed if Hank Aaron doesn't show up in person to witness the milestone.

Via The Feed, Paul Finebaum, a columnist in Aaron's hometown newspaper The Press-Resiter, opines that Hank Aaron ironically is demonstrating the kind of surliness that Barry Bonds is pilloried for.

However, from this standpoint, as vile as he may appear at times, Bonds is showing no less class than Hammerin' Hank, who just can't let bygones be bygones. He continues to wear his bitterness on his sleeve after all these years and will likely sulk all the way to the grave.

I feel sorry for Hank Aaron. Really.

He could actually do something constructive here instead of continuing to shake the dust and cobwebs off the hate mail he has saved from 33 years ago. But no, Aaron continues to play the same grumpy and surly role now as he did during his prime. Some things never change.

I'm not old enough to have observed first hand how Hank Aaron carried himself during his playing days. But right now, he does come off as a little bit of a hater. I agree with Finebaum that Aaron has the opportunity to do something constructive with the moment. Personally, I would settle for anything. He could use the moment to advance his own fame. He could use it as a platform to dissuade kids coming up from using PEDs. He could show solidarity with the players bemoaning the decline of Black Americans in the major leagues by remind America that it has Black baseball hereoes. He could simply be present just to bring more attention to the milestone and enhance the marketability of the game, as he has and continues to earn millions from his baseball legacy.

There are certainly those who believe Hank Aaron walks on water. But he is just a human being, just like Barry Bonds. And while Barry may never completely rehabilitate his image no matter what he does or doesn't do, Hank's image is currently pristine. But his refusal to participate in the home run milestone will undermine his legacy for a certain group of people. He will become just a mortal, not a hero on a pedastal. Still a baseball great, buy maybe also just another grumpy old man.

Paul Finebaum also did a radio interview on Atlanta's 790 the Zone. What was notable about the interview was the confrontational tone of it. The Atlanta hosts were absolutely incensed that Finebaum declared Hank Aaron to be less than perfect. Well, Finebaum is only saying what some people are going to realize on their hown. Some people are going to think that Hank is bitter, jealous and/or surly for not publicly recognizing the new home run king. Ignoring the issue is not being the bigger man. It just makes him passive. Aaron wouldn't cease to be seen as a "big" person for supporting Bonds. He just doesn't want to.

As the moment grows closer, Hank Aaron's name and his refusal to witness the breaking of the record will increasingly be interjected into media conversation. Whenever a living person's record is broken, it's always a big deal. By not getting in front of it, Aaron is basically giving the media license to stir the pot. The media thrives off controversy and they will create it, whether it exists or not.

The conversation about Aaron's "snub" of Bonds will get louder. Barry Bond's brother, Bobby, Jr., has already increased the volume by publicly expressed his disappointment in Hank Aaron. Bobby Bonds, Jr. is disappointed in Bud Selig for not committing to be present for the breaking of the record, but is also saddened by Hank Aaron.

"Especially Hank Aaron," Bonds Jr., whose late father played in the same era as Aaron, told the newspaper. "Hank Aaron does not even want to support Barry. Being a black man going through what he went through in the past and not supporting my brother, it kind of makes me look at him like, 'Are you serious, brother? Are you serious?' "

"Cut the steroids out, just look at my brother as a human being. He stole bases, he ran, he caught the ball," Bonds Jr. told the Star-Ledger. "It's so hard to justify what's going on with baseball and how they're treating him."

Like Barry or not, Hank can relate to being the villain. He's been there, done that. It's not fair that Hank Aaron should have to take a position on Barry, but it's still disappointing that he won't. But as long as Hank doesn't mind coming a notch down off that pedastal, it's his choice.

The Irony is Not Lost on Barry

Barry Bonds hit 745 last night. It's clear there's no guaranteed reward for being the "nice guy." But Barry is trying his best anyway. Have you noticed?

It's all quite ironic, actually.

The demonization of Bonds has a life of its own. It doesn't matter what Barry Bonds says or doesn't say or what he does or doesn't do. The writers will still be praying to God that he doesn't break the record. The commissioner will still be snubbing him. The man whose record he is going to break will still have his golf clubs at the ready and a first class ticket to any town where Bonds won't be.

The media waits with baited breath until Bonds hits 756, but, in the interim, doesn't feel compelled to label Roger Clemens as a scourge of the sport. He, whose build and amazing ability to remain an ace power pitcher as he approaches his 50's, clearly demonstrates the miracle of conditioning and conditioning alone (wink). Clemens' grandstanding at Yankee Stadium the other day was attention whoring at its most egregious. Bonds only broke down on a simple sidewalk in front of a couple reporters. He was wearing sweats, I believe. He didn't bother to get all gussied up like Roger to put on his show in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans. Nor does Barry charge his team a pro-rated $28 million for the privilege, even though he takes off days to avoid injury, not play in golf tournaments. Aren't cheating, self promotion and greed the holy trinity of the modern day evil athlete? Is Clemens more like Barry than Barry is? But it doesn't matter, because the demonization of Bonds has a life of its own.

Bonds' critics inside the game also have Barry like qualities. Curt Schilling said, "I mean, there's no gray area. He admitted to cheating on his wife, cheating on his taxes, and cheating on the game, so I think the reaction around the league, the game, being what it is, in the case of what people think." Well, if Barry is a liar, turns out Schilling is a liar too. And just for the sake of attention! Barry, in fact, never admitted any of those things. But who expects Curt to keep the facts straight when he is so busy posting to his blog and accommodating all his radio appearances. His lies, even his alleged lies enshrined in the hall of fame, and shameless self promotion make him nothing like Barry, of course.

A likely replacement for the home run king (yeah, get used to Bonds' new title) is already lined up. No matter if Alex Rodriguez is not known for leading his team toward anything but elimination and whining about his unrequited man crush on his teammates. I guess he is still a superior hero to the devil called Barry.

Finally, Barry has shut up and played. And that's what we wanted, right? The entire season, Barry has been dignified. He has been quiet. He has brought in the fans. He has helped his team win. And when he breaks the record, he will bring mainstream attention to America's pastime that it is not really America's pastime anymore. I think he's trying to show us he's not so much of a demon. Too bad nobody's noticed.

I'm Not Sure if Jackie Would've Wanted This

I think it's official now. Hank Aaron is a hater.

It pains me to come to this conclusion, but it's impossible to think otherwise at this point.

Last week, Hank Aaron said he wasn't going to get on a plane for anybody. But there he was, all the way across the country in Los Angeles for Jackie Robinson day.

I must confess. I know Hank doesn't owe Barry anything. Still, I wish Hank Aaron would be more supportive of Barry. I was raised to stick together with my folk. And given that Hank Aaron lives just a few miles down the road from my childhood home, I know he's been exposed to the same community values. Aaron's shunning of Bonds is all the more tragic in this moment when Black players in the MLB are supposedly an endangered species. Division will not help remedy that. Excommunication of Black baseball icons will not remedy that.

To put it mildly, Barry has his flaws. Still, he is one of the most talented major leaguers ever. And it's sad to contemplate, but whose to say he won't be the last Black baseball icon? If it's so, he should be celebrated while he's still in the game. And Hank Aaron should be at the party. I guess grumpy old men are the new Black, but my gut tells me that it's not that Barry is surly or that Barry juiced. It's just that someone's breaking the record that identifies Hank Aaron. And Hank doesn't like it one bit, as human as that inclination may be.

I am cognizant that some see Barry Bonds as a pariah. But he is not the devil. He is a gifted player. He's given a lot to the game. It is unspeakable that MLB is still considering whether they will acknowledge Bonds' breaking of the greatest record in sports. I guess Barry brought it on himself though. He talks back. He is not the quiet, "heroic" Black person that White people prefer. Ironically, "classy" has become just as loaded as "thug" when it comes to describing Black athletes. I guess it was just me that assumed Jackie Robinson opened the door for all Blacks, not just the friendly, sanitized ones.

I don't think the intent of the Jackie Robsinson cermeony was to upset me. But I couldn't help but become increasingly angry as the festivities went on. Will Selig even be in the time zone when Barry breaks the home run record? It's disappointing to me as a baseball fan and a Black person that Barry will be break the home run record in a matter of weeks without a sliver of the hero appreciation MLB showed on Sunday. It's no wonder that Willie Mays skipped MLB's showcase of hypocrisy. He must have been thinking the same thing I was. Can't a brother get a gospel choir?

Barry Bonds Should Not Go on Dates With Arsenio Hall

Barry Bonds and Arsenio Hall apparently had a date night at the premiere of the manliest of movies, "Dreamgirls." Arsenio Hall is not exactly renowned for his heterosexuality. (Who would turn down Paula Abdul in her prime?)

Barry, you don't really want to be the newest member of the Eddie Murphy-Arsenio Hall-Johnny Gill-Johnny Morten love triangle, do you?

HOW YOU DOIN'?

Barry Bonds Starring as Rod Tidwell

Barry Bonds is at the winter baseball meetings. I mean, who could resist the chance to go to the Magic Kingdom?

The talking heads are speculating that it's an act of desperation because no one wants to sign Bonds. Please. Bonds will work as long as he wants.

I don't know if you've ever seen Bonds play in person. If you haven't, he is a magnetic, all eyes on me presence. Flash bulbs start popping, the whole nine. Bonds is a star. And I think he is at the winter meetings to remind the GMs and owners what they're missing out on. I guarantee you all the execs can't keep their eyes off Bonds when he walks by. They're probably sneaking pictures with their camera phones and asking for autographs.

I know it's a pipe dream, but I would like to see Bonds in an Atlanta Braves uniform. Bonds is clearly not limiting his choices to AL teams, although it would make the most sense for him to be a DH because of his iffy health. The Braves have missed out on Tom Glavine and may have to turn their attention to filling other holes besides pitching. Bonds would be a gold mine for Atlanta. Merchandising would skyrocket for the Braves. Bonds would boost attendance at the park in a town that has trouble selling out Turner Field for playoff games. Bonds would diversify attendance. Turner Field does not boast the diversified audience that is shelling out for season tickets in the Georgia Dome and Phillips Arena. And Bonds would be embraced here, maybe almost as much as he is in San Francisco. I've seen him play here before and he was warmly received. And, bluntly, given that Atlanta has a significant Black population, there will be plenty of defenders to keep the boo birds of his back.

And Bonds in an Atlanta Braves uniform could provide the baseball community with a sense of poetic justice with the whole home run/steroids controversy. Maybe even Bob Costas would shed a heartfelt tear if Hank Aaron came onto the field and embraced Bonds after he rounded bases after hitting number 756. Ahhh, nice. Can't a girl dream?