On a sparkling clear San Francisco night, the man who held captive the attention of a nation -- even a world -- over the past 6 years powered into a Washington National fastball that cleared the deepest range of ATT Park, the park Barry built, for carer home run 756 to pass Hank Aaron.
Giant fans joined in a raucous joyful celebration fitting for such a historic event. Bonds' fluid swing produced A 430 feet missile that led to a mild crowd struggle for the ball.
The Giant crowd, not given much to cheer about the past few seasons, scintillated with excitement as Bonds circled the bases. The man who thrilled and beguiled millions enjoyed the celebration that included a video message from Hank Aaron.
The once slender 400 homer- 400 steals player, the once lock for the MLB Hall of Fame lumbered around the bases, going places no relatively geriatric baseball player ever traveled. Whether Bonds pharmacologically defied gravity appears to be highly probable, but not entirely pertinent to tonight's event.
American sports in the young century of 2000 produced stories about Tiger Woods in golf; Tom Brady, the New England Patriots, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL; Reggie Bush and the consistent superiority of USC football in the NCAA, the end of Lance Armstrong in cycling, and one major dominating figure in Major League Baseball -- Barry Bonds.
However, the story does not end with Bonds' superior performance on the baseball diamond; the story will continue for years to come as the role of the cyborg-athlete becomes defined in American and world sports.
Does Bonds represent the new athlete in sport: the fusion of genetic talent and drug, gene, and device enhancement? Or will sport return to valuing human performance above all once again?
Link to urban myths about Bonds and steroids.
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