Celebrating Barry Bonds – A Real World Record
Rev. Jesse Jackson
August 8, 2007
 
Responding to Rick Morrisey’s column, my point it simply this:  Barry Bonds will soon break the MLB home run record, hitting against the best pitchers in the world – the best that Asia, Latin America, the United States and Canada can bring. 
 
Barry Bonds will have earned the title of home run king in the most advanced, “globalized” playing field major league baseball has ever seen. Today’s game is truly an “international” sport, up against the modern day system of starters, middle relievers, set up men and closers. His will be a genuine world record.

I applaud Rick for his analysis of the Winter Olympics, but am curious why he is resistant to acknowledging that the pre-1947 baseball stars competed on an entirely different playing field than today’s players.
 
I argue that in pre-1947 baseball, there were in fact two “major” leagues:  MLB for Whites only, and the Negro League for Blacks.  There were also well-organized, world-class quality Latin American, Cuban and Japanese leagues. 
 
This does not deny the greatness of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and the other stars of the pre – 1947 era.   But what is also undeniable is that these great stars of the pre-Robinson era were denied the opportunity to even compete against the best players in the United States - to match and test themselves against the highest level of competition. 
 
The records established prior to 1947 took place in the segregated era.  There need not be an “asterisk” but merely recognition that these records were created in the context of an all-White league; the pre-1947 “records” were enhanced by exclusion. 
 
I seek not, as Rick misinterprets, to “minimize…the accomplishments of people on both sides of the color line.”  I’m really saying that we really did not know how good baseball could be until everybody could play.
 
That Blacks are not, “dominating” MLB is hardly the point.  Before Jackie Robinson broke through, other Cuban and Latin America, Asian, and African Americans were officially shut out and kept from taking the field.  We will never know how Babe Ruth would have fared against Satchel Paige of the Negro Leagues, or how Josh Gibson would have hit against Cy Young - - - because of official, sanctioned segregation that excluded African Americans from playing in the “Major Leagues.”
 
And when Jackie Robinson opened the doors of “Major League Baseball”, Black and Latino players came through big time; they did not need a mentoring process or minor league training to “make it” to The Show.  Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, Cepeda and Clemente --- all of them came in and took MLB to a qualitatively higher level.
 
Now, the playing field is even, the rules are public and the goals are clear.  Barry Bonds has been tested in this era, against the very best the world can offer.  He has been the most scrutinized athlete in history, tested in the most transparent environment.  Subjected to grand jury investigations.  And yet, Barry has passed all of the tests. In our system of American justice, evidence matters.  And amidst all of this, Barry continues to excel.
 
Barry Bonds should not be denied what he has earned; it is his accomplishment that should not be minimized.  His record-breaking home run should and will be celebrated.  I, for one, will be cheering and rooting for Barry, hopefully in the box seats.  And so should Commissioner Bud Selig.  That’s in the best interests of baseball.

From: Butch Wing <butch.wing@gmail.com>
Sent: Aug 9, 2007 1:26 PM
To: walter lippmann <walterlx@earthlink.net>
Subject: barry bonds