The 756th homerun ball hit by Barry Bonds was purchased for $752,467 and Fashion Designer Mark Ecko has an unusual plan for it. He set up a website at vote756.com to allow the public to vote on one of three options; 1. Send it to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, as is, 2. Brand it with an “*” and then send it to Cooperstown, or 3. Launch it into the icy depths of space. On September 26, the voting ending and the tally deemed the permanent brand was the fate of the fabled sphere. But should it end there?
Considering the tally included 47 percent for branding and 19 percent for launching it into space, it would seem only a 34 percent minority of the Internet millions who voted feel the record is untainted. This leads to a questions of why Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig has seemed to continually avoid taking a strong stance to clean up any rumors of steroid use in America’s National Pastime. Granted the Senate investigations had a few revelations, such as Jason Giambi admitting to steroid use but, because of his honest testimony and promise to make a number of charitable donations and efforts, he is being praised for his honesty and let off the hook by Selig. One wonders if any concrete and punitive action will be taken against any of the literal “giants” of the game.
Well, it would appear that since the Senate and the MLB Commissioner cannot get to the bottom our National Pass-the-Buck-time the last line of official defense for the reputation in the eyes of posterity is Cooperstown, so what can they be expected to do?
While it might be nice to see them take a stand and either decline to take the baseball under their wings or require Bonds undergo some testing before they do so, it is unlikely. Sure, the Baseball Hall of Fame claims to be a separate and independent entity run by a board of directors but the members (according their website at baseballhalloffame.org) include Jane Forbes Clark (Chair), Joe L. Morgan (Vice Chair), Kevin S. Moore (Treasurer), Paul Beeston, William O. DeWitt Jr., William L. Gladstone, David D. Glass, Bowie K. Kuhn, Leland S. MacPhail, John J. McHale, Robin E. Roberts, Brooks C. Robinson Jr., Frank Robinson, Tim Russert, G. Thomas Seaver, Edward W. Stack, George M. Steinbrenner III and none other than Allan H. (Bud) Selig himself. Aside from the current Commissioner on the board of directors, you’ll note one other former Commissioner, a former American League President and many former players with seats on the board. Although they assert their independence, they do say they have close ties to baseball and it is little wonder why.
So, America is calling on Cooperstown to take a stand. The reputation of baseball, the game most of the Cooperstown board of directors have devoted their lives to, is on the line like never before. The ball will soon be in their court and it remains to be seen if they also have the balls to make the right call.