 
You all may remember Ian’s fascination with Barry Bonds as he approached and passed the all-time home run mark by Hank Aaron. To me it was an incredible achievement but I had a hard time celebrating it because of the person behind it.
A week or so ago Boston’s Manny Ramirez hit his 500th career home run in Baltimore and has since gone on a tear. As a Sox fan, Manny is probably my most favorite player in a long, long time. I couldn’t give a rats ass about a perceived lack of hustle, Manny being Manny moments or him even bitch slapping a teammate when it’s needed. I watch to see the man hit. As Jerry Remy once said “Manny rolls out of bed hitting”.
For a great a right handed hitter Ramirez is there maybe only one other guy who can take my breathe away watching him swing and that’s Ken Griffey Jr. The man has possibly the smoothest, sweetest swing I have ever seen. He could even make Ted Williams take notice.
Tonight “The Kid” hit his 600th career home run off Mark Hendrickson of the Florida Marlins becoming just the 6th man in major league history to have hit 600 home runs. He joins a very elite club, one that is not without it’s suspicions either, that includes Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa.
I’ve watched Griffey for 20 years I saw him live in person as a 20-year old at Fenway Park, I was in Baltimore when he hit warehouse during the home run contest at the 1993 All-Star game and I was one of those guys who thought 800 homers was not out of the question.
But injuries slowed him down after his trade to Cincinnati and he had some lean years. Now he no longer plays centerfield but when ever I hear John Fogerty sing that song I think of Griffey and the highlight reel catches and his sweet swing and I always will.
It’s unfortunate that Griffey had all those injuries because I think we’d all much rather talk about Griffey being the home run king then Bonds any day of the week.
I agree with both of you. In my utopian world, Hank Aaron is still the all-time home run king, Roger Maris is still the single-season champ and Griffey Jr. is now just the fourth member of the 600 club. Unlike Bonds, unlike Sosa, I think that all of his HR’s are legit.
BHG