SPORTS NOTES
BARRY BONDS Breaks The Major League Baseball Home Run Record At An Amazing Age

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Wednesday October 10, 2001

Barry Bonds amazing fete of hitting 73 home runs in one season complimented by his .328 batting average is somewhat unbelievable. Particularly when you consider the fact that he achieved this success at the ripe old age of 37. He eclipsed the former Major League home run record of 70 set by Mark McGwire in 1998.

Yes 37, the age when many (so called) sports journalists are putting athletes out to pasture inferring they're too old to be productive or as they say in the case of 38-year-old MICHAEL JORDAN, that he's too old to be what he was in greatness.

Ahhhh excuse me....Bonds proved that aging is not a negative thing but can be positive when the information and experience picked up along the way on the road of maturity is utilized properly.

From a scribes point of view, who themselves usually have an abundant belly perspective, an older athlete is supposed to age like cheese and stink up the place. Not Bonds, he matured as an athlete who aged like fine wine.

With the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986, his rookie season, at the age of 22, Bonds hit only 16 HR's and had a not so healthy or glamorous .223 batting average. He entered the Major Leagues after attending four years at Arizona State University. When he became a major league player he was thin and primarily a leadoff hitter.

The early stages of Bonds career were not as productive as they were after he reached the age of 30. His 29 home runs in 1992 was his highest total when his was in his twenties. That season his batting averaged improved to a then career best .311. He was a maturing old man [joking] who was then 29-years of age.

Prior to this seasons record breaking 73 HR total his career best was 49 set last year at the age of 36. His highest batting average was .336 in 1993, at the age of 30 during his first season with the San Francisco Giants. His .328 average this season is his career second best.

Beore this season Bonds 49 HR's last year was his career best. He had only three other 40 plus home run seasons, (46) 1993, (42) 1996, (40) 1997. Proof again he got better with age.

When Bonds hit his then all-time high 50th HR on August 11th at the age of 37 he became the oldest player ever to hit 50. He reached the mark quicker than any player ever to play the game. McGwire hit his 50th homer at age 35, in 1999.

McGwire was 34 when he broke the home run record with 70 three years ago. He broke Roger Maris' record of 61 set in 1961 that stood for 37 years.

It was a record that seemed insurmountable but Bonds rose to the challenge. Age may have made a difference in a positive way. As he matured he seemed to be more confident in his abilities. He kept a cool head.

Another seemingly unachievable record was the old home run record of 60 set by Babe Ruth in 1927 was accomplished in 154 games. Maris broke his record in 1961 during a 162 game season.

Bonds hit his 66th home run September 23rd in just his 150th game. That was after a week's layoff by Major League Baseball due to the terrorist's attacks in the United States September 11. It took McGwire 161 games to reach that plateau.

Bonds also broke Ruth's major league record for most homers over two seasons by a left-handed batter. Ruth hit 114 HR's during the 1927-28 seasons. Bonds hit 49 home runs in 2000 plus his 73 gave him 122 thus obliterating Ruth's 73-yar-old record.

When you listen to the so-called authorities that know what ageing/maturity means heed this advice... don't listen to a sports journalist unless it's a former pro athlete who continues to be in good shape.

In most cases the journalist is a non-doer who has a Big Mac belly and complimenting butt. Thay also posess a know it all mouth that won't quit.

Particularly take note of radio sports talk show hosts who in many cases have not in shape bodies that you may never see. Take a look at those journalists that think they know what aging means. Then ask yourself do you want to look like that sports journalist…Barry Bonds or Michael Jordan.

The answer most likely would be Bonds and Jordan. Perhaps they should be telling the story of how to be productive and in shape...what can and can't be done at a certain age. They don't do it by running their mouth or writing their text….THEY JUST DO IT with hard work, discipline and EXERCISE.

Talk is cheap. As Bonds and Jordan exemplify hard work has its rewards.

If age makes a difference then those who succeed and achieve know what it takes and not those scribes who write them off. Age does make a difference. Experience can't be taken away or stolen, nor can achievement... as Barry Bonds proved.

***

Personal Insight: In my experience I've learned not to listen to what others tell me as being sacred. I search to find the answers that apply to me and form my opinion of a person based on how they deal with me and not (as others tell it) how they deal with them or someone else.

In doing so I interviewed Bonds at the early stages of his career when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The radio network that we supplied programming for was shocked that he took the time to interview with me since they were also based in Pittsburgh and he refused interviews with their reporters.

Bonds was gracious with his time and comments. Though deemed as tough to interview by many I found that Bonds was honest and straightforward. Some reporters have a negative agenda and Bonds is intelligent enough to see through that. He had some major league training of what to expect from sports reporters.

I later interviewed his father and former Major League baseball great Bobby Bonds. He too was gracious and giving. It's like the saying goes…like father… like son.

Coming: What a Mess The LA Press [See: Racist Radio]

Comments: nationalradio@yahoo.com