The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are this Sunday in New York, and all the way in California the Giants will be hosting the Marlins in San Francisco. Should Barry Bonds sit out on Sunday so as to not risk overshadowing what's happening in Cooperstown? After all, wouldn't it be a disservice to Cal Ripken or Tony Gwynn to steal their thunder by tying or breaking the home run record?That's the question posed today by the Washington Post, who asked several former players their thoughts:
"I think [Bonds] should play," said Frank Robinson, a Hall of Fame outfielder, induction class of 1982. "You don't step aside for an induction ceremony. [Ripken and Gwynn] are Hall of Famers because they went out and played. You owe it to your ballclub and to baseball itself." ...Nice disclaimer there at the end: nothing against you, Barry, but you're evil. Way to be polite and speak with conviction.
"It's basically good versus evil," said former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer, a 1990 Hall of Fame inductee. "Here you have two guys who played the game the right way, who were marvelous people on and off the field, and another -- nothing against Barry -- who wasn't."
Personally, I'm shocked someone would even think of this question. Of course Bonds should play on Sunday. I thought it was ridiculous that some people think Bonds should sit out all road games, now people want him to play in only specific home games, too? Besides which, is that any way to treat the thousands of faithful fans at AT&T Park, the ones who keep the stadium sold out despite a team that's 15 games under .500? I don't see it happening.
Unless Bonds wants to have his shining moment in history to be breaking the record on the road and then having the field showed with debris from angry fans, he's not going to waste any opportunity he has to get this thing over and done with at home.

















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-24-2007 @ 8:12AM
sandie said...
Bonds is a cheater. Nobody really cares about his quest to break Hank Aarons record....he cheated with steroids to break the record. Bonds will never make it in to the Hall of Fame. I say Bonds will get less votes than Mark McGuire.
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7-24-2007 @ 9:30AM
chris said...
play ball.
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7-24-2007 @ 10:02AM
harold said...
I guess we are guilty until proven innocent in this country now. Hit one for me Berry.
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7-24-2007 @ 10:06AM
Kaiser said...
This is for sandie and all of the REST who definately know that Bonds took (seeing you have been with him all of the time)didn't we hang the three Students in the LaCross team because they definately committed the Crime (Wrong) unless you know for sure judge him by his accomplishments
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7-24-2007 @ 10:27AM
Angie B said...
Play Ball
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7-24-2007 @ 10:55AM
Irene said...
I am sorry but I believe that the huge public shame he and his family have endured is enough punishment..why do people have to continously keep persicuting him ? Jealousy is evident , But forgiveness would be more profound here YES he should be in the game without the blink of an eye ! and poor Mark mcQuire who has a town that was so mean took the title of a HWY taken from him what does all this prove ???? They are men who made mistakes but so many players have and still are but never admit it Thats okay right ?
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7-24-2007 @ 11:34AM
b2goms said...
Does anybody really think that theses athletes do it for themselves . THE FANS WANT TO SEE TOWERING HOMERUNS, AWESOME TACKLES, AND HUGE WRESTLING HEROES, AND OWNWNERS REAP ON TICKET SALES WHILE TEEAMS WIN OR LOSE COME ON WHY CRY WOLF WHEN EVERYBODY HAS CHEERED SOMEONE WHO IS TAKING STEROIDS, if Jose Canseco hadn't run out of money due to his troubles with the law and his habits, he wouldn't have published his book telling all, we still would have all these athletes as heroes we are to blame for not wanting to hear the truth, when we do we are so fast hang people.NONE THE WISER!!!###**
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7-24-2007 @ 11:44AM
SCOTT ELLISON said...
I'M SICK OF ALL THIS BS. WE HAVE LET SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TAKE OVER REGULAR LAWS AND REGULATIONS. EVEN THO BARRY BONDS HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF TAKING STEROIDS HE HAS NEVER AND I SAY NEVER BEEN CAUGHT. UNTIL THAT DAY COMES, WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS THOUGHT: "INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!" HE HAS NEVER TESTED POSITIVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. KEEP INVESTIGATING HIM AND THEN LET THE PROCESS UNFOLD. SAME THING FOR MARK MCGUIRE, HE NEVER TESTED POSITIVE AND JUST BECAUSE HE DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION, DOESN'T MEAN HE IS GUILTY. WE DID THIS TO THE SPORT. WE WANT TO SEE GUYS LOOK LIKE THE INCREDIBLE HULK AND TO HIT A BALL 500 FEET. AND IF HE DOESN'T HIT 50 HOMERUNS, THEN GUYS IN THE MEDIA SAY HE HAS HAD A DOWN YEAR, OR HE DOESN'T HAVE IT ANYMORE. WE PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON HOW MANY HR'S GUYS HIT THAN WE DO ANY OTHER RECORD? WHY? I WATCHED A BALL GAME LAST NIGHT WITH BONDS. IT SICKENS ME THAT WHEN GUYS HIT A ROUTIN GROUND BALL THAT THEY ACTUALY QUIT RUNNING 1/2 WAY DOWN THE PATH...SAY WHAT YOU WANT, PETE ROSE HAD AN ADDICTION, AND HE SCREWED UP NOT ADMITTING IT, BUT WHEN HE PLAYED..."HE PLAYED HARD".
AS FOR THE BUD SELIEG? IF THAT OVER PRICED GUY DOESN'T DRAG HIS ASS THE GAMES B'CUZ HE ASSUMES BONDS IS GUILTY OR THAT HE IS CLOSE TO HANK AARON, THEY SHOULD FIRE HIM IMMEDIATELY. TALK ABOUT THUMBING THE GAME!!! WHAT A WORLD HUH? TO PAY A GUY 100 MILLION TOPLAY A SPORT...NO WONDER JOHNNY CANT DO MATH OR READ AND WRITE PROPERLY...HERE'S ANOTHER ONE LEBRON JAMES, SAYS HE WANTS TO BE WORLD DOMINANT AND THE RICHEST ATHLETE TO PLAY THE GAME..GREAT GOAL....IDIOT...DO YOU KNOW WHY OPRAH WINFREY DIDN'T BUILS SCHOL HERE IN US FOR UNDER PRIVLEGED KIDS? SHE WENT OUT AND ASKED WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE UNITED STATES IMPOVERISHED KIDS? THEY RESPONDED...NIKE TENNS SHOES AND IPODS AND PLAY STATIONS...AFICAN KIDS SAID TO GET EDUCATON.."PUT THAT IN SMIKE AND POKE IT"
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7-24-2007 @ 12:20PM
wsv said...
Of course he should play. Barry Bonds is one of the greatest players in the game.
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7-24-2007 @ 1:04PM
ezwider109 said...
there's no way bonds could overshadow anything... ripken and gwynn have done..... the interest in cooperstown will be much greater than what barry iz up to.... even though he's had a fulfilling career.... hats off to cal and tony!!!!!
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7-24-2007 @ 1:06PM
chris said...
hats off to ripken and gwynn!!!!
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7-24-2007 @ 1:06PM
chris said...
hats off to ripken and gwynn!!!
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7-24-2007 @ 1:09PM
Mike said...
If Bonds has to, or wants to play on Sunday, he could do so. It wouldn't steal any thunder from the Gwynn and Ripken ceremonies. Ripken and Gwynn have ALWAYS been "CLASS ACTS" on the field as well as off. Bonds *HR pursuit can't overshadow Gwynn's and Ripken's LEGITIMATE accomplishments.
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7-24-2007 @ 1:23PM
Mike said...
If Bonds wants to, or has to play on Sunday, he can do so. It wouldn't steal any thunder from the Gwynn and Ripken ceremonies. Ripken and Gwynn have always been "CLASS ACTS" on the field, as well as off. Bonds *HR pursuit CAN"T overshadow Gwynn's and Ripken's LEGITIMATE accomplishments.
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7-24-2007 @ 1:33PM
Barbara said...
It is his job to play, so he should play every game. However, I am shocked that teams continue to pitch to him, ultimately allowing him to break the record. Why can't pitchers just walk him every at bat to insure such a hallowed record remains that way. He doesn't deserve to break it. Has the almighty Bud Selig decreed that pitchers MUST pitch to him?
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7-24-2007 @ 10:24PM
George B Vieto said...
Barry Bonds should play on Sunday. Hopefully he would have broken the home run record and the game versus the Marlins will be just a footnote.
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7-25-2007 @ 1:03AM
joe said...
he.s black and pete rose is white
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7-25-2007 @ 1:13AM
T-Rev said...
Have you guys forgotten that Bonds ADMITTED USING STEROIDS BEFORE A GRAND JURY. I don't have to be with him all of the time, just as I didn't have to be with Scott Peterson all of the time to know he was a murderer. As for the Duke Lacrosse case (Kaiser, above), that case was raised with no evidence, Bonds has an overwhelming amount of evidence against him. He shouldn't play because he should be banned from baseball, as every true, sane baseball fan knows
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7-25-2007 @ 11:26AM
Preston said...
Leave Barry alone,it is his body if he wants to do what he is or isnt doing,its his body. Athletes will always find ways of getting an edge. Look at the money they make. Its like I heard last night if I could take something to become a rich man I would do it too.I think what is wron is the publicity of everything that goes on.Leave the kids alone dont broadcast things that will get kids to thinking its ok to do what others do
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7-25-2007 @ 12:01PM
carlos said...
Let him play, people need to focus and use there energy on real problems for example, lets find the missing England girl Madeleine McCann!
He is a great player deal with it!
Go Barry!
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