Bonds Finally Blasted His 70th

The naked avoidance of pitchers as well as the wall of the racial discrimination could not obstruct Bonds’s home run race.

Barry Bonds (37) of the San Francisco Giants at last hit his seventieth homer to tie the single season home run record.

Shooting a solo homer at his last bat in the ninth inning of the game with the Houston Astros at Enrol Field, Bonds stood abreast with `Big Mac` Mark McGwire (St. Louis Cardinals) who had hit the 70 home runs in 1998.

His 70-home run record is more valuable because he set the record overcoming `the invisible discrimination`. The U.S. newspapers, which had filled the pages with the stories about the Anglican American McGwire`s home run chasing in 1998, have expressed the relative indifference to the African American Bonds`s record-breaking home run race this year. Some newspapers showed a straightforward discrimination delivering the wish through the columns that Bonds would not break the Big Mac`s record.

The pitchers also have been astoundingly reluctant to face Bonds. Coupled with the extreme dodging of the pitchers, Bonds established the ML single season base-on-balls record (175). Especially, since recording his 69th home run in game with the San Diego on 30th last month, Bonds has obtained two hit-by-pitches and seven base-on-balls in three games. Even in this game, Bonds walked three times in the first, fifth, and sixth innings. Bonds said, ``I was so upset when the pitcher walked me off intentionally in the sixth, despite down 8-2, the game was already out of hand.``

However, the chance finally came at his last bat in the ninth. The opponent pitcher was the rookie Wilfredo Rodriguez in only his second big-league game. As the 150 km fast ball came into the strike zone after one strike and one ball, Bonds swung powerfully. Recognizing immediately his home run, Bonds thrust both arms in the air. It was a 138 meter big home run crushing into the second deck of the Enron Field.

43,734 Astros fans, who have jeered at the consecutive intentional walk by the home team`s pitcher, congratulated Bonds`s great record building with ovation acclamation. After rounding the bag, Bonds tightly hugged his son Nikolai who was waiting for the great father in the home plate. Bonds said with a huge grin, ``Everybody said to me I have to endure. I feel good because I don`t have to hear such words. I was so pleased of my family`s attending in this wonderful moment. Now my wife may get into a bed comfortably.``

By hitting 70 home runs at 468 bats, Bonds set a fastest home run pace record, a homer at 6.68 bats. Moreover, Bonds recorded 0.848 slugging percentage passing former Yankee Babe Ruth`s 0.847 in 1920 as well as McGwire`s record in 1998.

Bonds may rewrite the home run history if he adds a homer in three game series with the LA Dodgers at the Pacific Bell Park, San Francisco, starting 6th. Park Chan-Ho is scheduled to start the game on 6th.

Meanwhile, ahead of Bonds`s 70th home run shooting, Sad Diego Padres `Great Stealer`

Rickey Henderson set the all-time record for runs scored with 2246 runs, passing Ty Cobb`s 2245 runs established in 1928.

Kim Sang-Soo ssoo@donga.com