Report: Commissioner not dismissing idea of stripping Bonds of crown
By FROM STAFF REPORTS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Braves legend Henry Aaron may again be baseball???s all-time home-run king.
For the first time Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has said he would consider a move to strip Barry Bonds of his record for all-time home runs, according to a report.
Christine Brennan of USA Today called on Selig to alter baseball???s record book and reinstate Aaron as the official record-holder for the most career home runs. Aaron hit 755 in 23 seasons. Bonds broke Aaron???s record in 2007, and with his career seemingly over, he has 762 in 22 seasons.
In a telephone interview with Brennan on Wednesday, Selig said of altering the record book: ???Once you start tinkering, you can create more problems. But I???m not dismissing it. I???m concerned. I???d like to get more evidence.???
Attempts to reach Selig and Aaron on Thursday evening were unsuccessful.
Bonds??? accomplishments have been tainted by allegations that he has used performance-enhancing substances. He was indicted in 2007 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice and is accused of lying to a federal grand jury when he said he never used steroids.
The indictment is part of the ongoing federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative of Burlingame, Calif., that began when federal officials raided the lab in 2003 and allegedly found numerous illegal performance-enhancing substances.
The suspicions that Bonds was using illegal substances began to surface when he hit a record 73 home runs in the 2001 season.
The baseball commissioner???s power to alter the record book would fall under the broad category of making decisions in the ???best interest of baseball,??? a clause invoked by commissioners a number of times in a number ways.
The most relevant to this situation came in 1961 when Yankees outfielder Roger Maris was challenging Babe Ruth???s single-season record of 60 home runs, a mark he would eclipse that season with 61.
The American League schedule expanded from 154 games to 162 games for that season, and as Maris and teammate Mickey Mantle got close to 60 home runs, commissioner Ford Frick ruled that any player who reached or surpassed 60 home runs through 154 games on his team???s schedule would be recognized as a record-holder, but no one would who needed more than 154 games.
Publishers of baseball records reacted to Frick???s edict by adding an asterisk to Maris??? name, even though Frick wrote in his 1973 autobiography, ???No asterisk has appeared in the official record in connection with that accomplishment.??? In 1991, as baseball was compiling its version of an ???official??? record book, commissioner Fay Vincent ruled that any asterisk beside Maris??? name should be removed.
By FROM STAFF REPORTS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Braves legend Henry Aaron may again be baseball???s all-time home-run king.
For the first time Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has said he would consider a move to strip Barry Bonds of his record for all-time home runs, according to a report.
Christine Brennan of USA Today called on Selig to alter baseball???s record book and reinstate Aaron as the official record-holder for the most career home runs. Aaron hit 755 in 23 seasons. Bonds broke Aaron???s record in 2007, and with his career seemingly over, he has 762 in 22 seasons.
In a telephone interview with Brennan on Wednesday, Selig said of altering the record book: ???Once you start tinkering, you can create more problems. But I???m not dismissing it. I???m concerned. I???d like to get more evidence.???
Attempts to reach Selig and Aaron on Thursday evening were unsuccessful.
Bonds??? accomplishments have been tainted by allegations that he has used performance-enhancing substances. He was indicted in 2007 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice and is accused of lying to a federal grand jury when he said he never used steroids.
The indictment is part of the ongoing federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative of Burlingame, Calif., that began when federal officials raided the lab in 2003 and allegedly found numerous illegal performance-enhancing substances.
The suspicions that Bonds was using illegal substances began to surface when he hit a record 73 home runs in the 2001 season.
The baseball commissioner???s power to alter the record book would fall under the broad category of making decisions in the ???best interest of baseball,??? a clause invoked by commissioners a number of times in a number ways.
The most relevant to this situation came in 1961 when Yankees outfielder Roger Maris was challenging Babe Ruth???s single-season record of 60 home runs, a mark he would eclipse that season with 61.
The American League schedule expanded from 154 games to 162 games for that season, and as Maris and teammate Mickey Mantle got close to 60 home runs, commissioner Ford Frick ruled that any player who reached or surpassed 60 home runs through 154 games on his team???s schedule would be recognized as a record-holder, but no one would who needed more than 154 games.
Publishers of baseball records reacted to Frick???s edict by adding an asterisk to Maris??? name, even though Frick wrote in his 1973 autobiography, ???No asterisk has appeared in the official record in connection with that accomplishment.??? In 1991, as baseball was compiling its version of an ???official??? record book, commissioner Fay Vincent ruled that any asterisk beside Maris??? name should be removed.
