Well, it finally happened.  San Francisco Giants OF, Barry Bonds, made history today when he went yard against Byung-Hyun Kim in the bottom half of the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies.  The Giants eventually lost the contest 6-3, but regardless, there was champagne (and maybe caviar dreams) to be had by all in the Giants clubhouse after the game.

Love him or hate him, and there seems to be no in-between, today’s milestone is a big one as Bonds is now in sole possession of second place on the all-time homerun list, a mythic statistic for baseball because it grasps the attention and causes awe for every fan that witnesses one going over the fence.  And equally as mythic is the hold that Babe Ruth has on the game.

And love him or hate him, you have to be impressed by Bonds passing the Babe.

Of course, Bonds will probably never (okay, it’s pretty much a done deal that he won’t) ever have the appeal or legacy of Babe Ruth.  Who can forget the stories of a homerun dedicated to a little boy in the hospital, the pointing to the direction Ruth was going to hit a dinger, or the fact that he caused the downfall of an entire organization and there was a curse named after him until the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004?  Just these few things make the Bambino a legend, plain and simple.

But, what of Bonds?  Will he only be remembered for alleged steroid use?  The fact that a lot of teammates did not like him?  Neither did (does) the media?  Is he just a misunderstood man whom we will eventually “know” when his playing days are over?  Will his star rise and all we’ll remember are the statistics and that he is the greatest left-handed homerun hitter of all time?  Consider, Ruth was an alcoholic and notorious “player” off the field.  How about Mickey Mantle, one of the most talented players to step his cleat in the diamond? He was also an alcoholic.  Ty Cobb?  Just a through and through jerk by all accounts.  But all of them are remembered because of the joy and wonder they brought to the game - the mouths agape by the fans as they witnessed greatness before their eyes.

Will we ever tell our grandchildren that we watched, arguably, the greatest player that ever stepped up to the plate and played Gold Glove defense in the outfield?

That is a question that remains open and abstract.  However, there is something that is concluded and concrete - Barry Bonds is now second, behind Hammerin’ Hank Aaron, on a list that the general baseball fan holds in highest regard.  Today, Bonds hit number 715, whether it was on steroids or not.

Love him or hate him, Bonds made history today.