Fans lifted a banner wishing a belated happy birthday to Barry Bonds. Others cheered each swing. A few were deluded enough to seek authographs.
The San Francisco Giants came to RFK Stadium on Tuesday for a three-day stand with the loneliest man in baseball. He managed a very lackluster wave to fans who stood for an hour by the dugout hoping for a closer look at the most controversial man in baseball.
The mild acknowledgment was about it from Bonds. No smile to those donning Giants jerseys in the stands. No interviews after sitting at his rear corner locker for two hours. Aside from a couple hugs with Washington players, Bonds showed the charisma of Jell-O.
There was no talk of steroids, grand jury indictments or tax evasion from Bonds. Mostly, an indifference was offered to everyone around him. Aside from a few shining moments in the batting cage when taking one deep to section 462, Bonds looked like he was heading to a PTA meeting.
What a shame it has come to this. The most dynamic player of the last two decades is slowing fading away. Turning 42 years old has left him slightly less than buff aside his bald noggin. The years of endless accusations have hardened him from enjoying the twilight of a career that permits first-year passage into Cooperstown regardless of whether he passesHank Aaron as the home run king.
Bonds backers have a point that Bonds has never failed a drug test and the alleged steroids he took weren’t prohibited by baseball until last year. While anyone with a smattering of common sense knows Bonds took something, if it wasn’t against the rules and never proven, then you have to give him a pass. It’s called innocent until proven guilty.
It’s also easy to understand Bonds’ past stance that players taking supplements to stay on the field benefits the fans, too. How many of the modest crowd for Tuesday’s game would have felt cheated if Bonds hadn’t played? Most of them so there is some spillover benefit if Bonds ingested something to keep hitting homers.
Indeed, a lifeless crowd suddenly erupted in a chorus of lusty boos and sporatic cheers when Bonds batted in the first. It felt awfully personal. When Bonds jogged to first base during a groundout, his indifference to it all emerged once again.
Hopefully, Bonds will be smart enough to call it a career at season’s end before baseball officials actually decide whether he took steroids. Before Aaron’s record is eclipsed by designated hitting next season in the American League. Before everyone who ever cheered for him is finally silenced.
Rick Snider has covered local sports for 28 years. Contact him at [email protected].
