Selig: No celebrations planned if Bonds passes Ruth

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Barry Bonds will have to wait until he passes Hank Aaron before baseball throws a party for him.
Major League Baseball is not planning any celebration for Bonds if and when he tops Babe Ruth's mark of 714 home runs, commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday.
"Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record," Selig said. "We don't celebrate anybody the second or third time in."
Bonds has been the subject of steroids speculation for several seasons. The recent book Game of Shadows detailed allegations against him, and a federal grand jury is investigating whether he committed perjury when he told another grand jury that he had never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonds hit his 711th homer Wednesday. His San Francisco Giants were off Thursday, and open a three-game series Friday night at home against Arizona.
Selig does not figure to be in San Francisco -- or in Milwaukee or Philadelphia, where the Giants play next week -- as Bonds nears Ruth.
"We celebrate new records, that's what we do. We're being consistent," Selig said during the Associated Press Sports Editors annual meeting with league commissioners. "There's nothing to read into that."
Ruth is second on the career home run list, trailing Aaron's total of 755. When Aaron broke Ruth's record in 1974, commissioner Bowie Kuhn was not in attendance. Kuhn's absence rankled many, including Aaron.
Bonds has been hobbled by bad knees, and missed most of last season.
"He's had a remarkable career. Whatever happens, happens," Selig said. "We're going to let nature take its course. Commissioners don't sit around and say, 'I hope this guy breaks it or not."'
Selig said he had read Game of Shadows but not seen Bonds on Bonds, the ESPN reality show about the slugger's life.
Selig said the book was among several factors that prompted him to launch a baseball investigation into steroids, headed by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. There is no timetable for completing the probe.
Baseball's investigation, Selig said, is "not affected at all by the grand jury" looking into whether Bonds committed perjury.

I agree with that statement, although the Babe is tops on the list of my favorites he is second on the list.

 

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[tucker01]

I agree with that statement, although the Babe is tops on the list of my favorites he is second on the list.

 

[SuppAddict]

they shouldn't even celebrate him passing hank aaron cause aaron and ruth never used roids

it isn't fair to compare them. the need a new category called most homeruns during the roids era

ruth was the best. if played as long as hank, he would have crushed his record and bonds as well

 

[tucker01]

Cheaters have been in baseball as long as the game has been around. There are many HOF members who are known cheaters.

If Baseball were really concerned with the Steroids, they would have changed there policy. MLB fucked up here not Bonds. If I were in his position I would take every possible advantage I can, especially if it wasn't against the rules of the game.

 

[SuppAddict]

Cheaters have been in baseball as long as the game has been around. There are many HOF members who are known cheaters.

If Baseball were really concerned with the Steroids, they would have changed there policy. MLB fucked up here not Bonds. If I were in his position I would take every possible advantage I can, especially if it wasn't against the rules of the game.

I didn't know that. did they have roids when ruth was playing or something else?

 

[tucker01]

I am not saying Ruth exclusively, however there are some stories of ruth using a corked bat. Also the same time tampered bats were no longer allowed

 

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I am not saying Ruth exclusively, however there are some stories of ruth using a corked bat. Also the same time tampered bats were no longer allowed

Rumors.

 

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Cheaters have been in baseball as long as the game has been around. There are many HOF members who are known cheaters.

If Baseball were really concerned with the Steroids, they would have changed there policy. MLB fucked up here not Bonds. If I were in his position I would take every possible advantage I can, especially if it wasn't against the rules of the game.

I agree 100%, MLB fucked this one up, if they were serious they would have done something about it a long time ago. Big Mac, Canseco, Sosa, Sheffield, Giambi, the list goes on. I feel that if MLB attacks Bonds on this one they are obligated to go after everyone else. Now saying that I still think Bonds is an asshole, but he is not to blame for this. IMO if MLB was truly concerned they would have started a policy in 1995 or 1996 when Ken Caminiti broke the story and admitted to using the juice. All MLB was worried about was attendance and the long ball puts the fans in the seats.