10 observations on the breaking of Hank Aaron's career home run mark by Barry Bonds:
- I didn't hear one play-by-play reference to Bonds as either the new home run "champion" or "king". "Leader" seemed to be the reference of choice after Bonds hit home run number 756...
- In print, Mike Lupica called Bonds "the all-time home run king of baseball" but also called it "a tainted celebration" and referred to Bonds' achievement as a "hollow record for a bloated slugger." ...
- The surprise of the night had to be Hank Aaron's video of congratulations that even Bonds didn't expect...
- No surprise that there were no boos or asterisk signs among the crowd of 43,154 assembled at San Francisco's AT&T Park...
- If you were wondering where Commissioner Bud Selig was, he was meeting with steroid czar George Mitchell. Do you think Barry Bonds may have been mentioned???
- Bonds godfather Willie Mays cried like a baby at the on-field ceremony following the record-breaking home run...
- Go figure. 22-year old Matt Murphy, a Mets fan from Queens held on to the ball despite being mauled by the crowd. He and a friend stopped over in San Francisco on their way to Australia and bought a ticket at the game...
- The ball should sell for somewhere in the vicinity of $400,000 to $500,000 which should pay for the trip to Australia...
- There was another Mets connection - former Met pitcher Mike Bacsik served up the historic home run pitch...
- The boldest statement by Bonds and one that could come back to haunt him? "This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period"...
["The Good...The Bad...The Ugly", usually seen on Wednesdays will become a monthly feature at the end of each month]...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1876] Take a mimeo: Thomas Edison receives a patent for the mimeograph, "a method of preparing autographic stencils for printing"...
- 1899] The Fridge: The refrigerator is patented by A.T. Marshall. For years I thought it was William "Refrigerator" Perry...
- 1966] Achy DeBakey heart: Surgeon Michael DeBakey installs the first artificial heart. Unfortunately blood clotting leads to failure in the patient...
- 1968] Nixon's the One: Richard M. Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew are chosen as running mates at the Republican National Convention...1974] Now President, Richard M. Nixon announces that he will resign the following day...
- 1970] The retiring 'perfessor': The Yankees retire Casey Stengel's no. 37 uniform in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium...
- 1976] Who wears short shorts?: Bill Veeck (as in wreck) introduces shorts to the Chicago White Sox wardrobe. The Royal Teens pay tribute (with Bob Gaudio on piano): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYJ6QQ_hJl8 ...
- 1988] Re-zoonited: After 4 years of renovation work, the Central Park Zoo reopens with seals in formal wear...
- 1988] On the 8's: A high of 88 degrees is recorded in New York City on 8/8/88...
- 1992] Dream On: The 1992 Olympic basketball team a.k.a. "The Dream Team" stacked with NBA ringers, er, all-stars (Jordan, Bird, Johnson, etc.) wins a gold medal in beating the Croations...
- 2001] "Happy Trails": Maureen Reagan, the President's daughter from his marriage to Jane Wyman, dies from melanoma at 60...
Music Memories:
- 1963] Released on this date: "Louie, Louie" - Kingsmen, seen here doing the ultimate party song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ9qn-tlMTw ...1970] "Looking Out My Back Door" - Creedence Clearwater Revival and here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j7YsYK4skU ...
- 1987] #1 on this date: "With Or Without You" - U2 (The Edge celebrates his 46th birthday today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEfSnjL0pd8 ...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
Tom Glavine, a hockey player in his youth was thrilled by getting congratulations for his 300th win from Wayne Gretzky and especially Bobby Orr, among baseball greats like Sandy Koufax and Tom Seaver. Growing up in Billerica (MA) Glavine rooted for all the Boston teams and was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings. His favorite hockey player? Bobby Orr...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Drew Lachey (31), Kool Moe Dee (45), The Edge (46), Deborah Norville (49), The Stylistics' Airrion Love (58), Keith Carradine (58), Connie Stevens (69), Dustin Hoffman (70), Mel Tillis (75), Esther Williams (86) and Dino DeLaurentiis (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 26 days until Labor Day and 29 days until the NFL opener...
