Bonds would opt out of Hall of Fame over asterisk ball

[The Judge]

NEW YORK, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Slugger Barry Bonds said he would refuse induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame if his record home run ball branded with an asterisk goes on display in the Cooperstown shrine.

Dogged by speculation that his pursuit of baseball's all-time home run mark was fuelled by performance-enhancing drugs, Bonds defended his record in an interview on MSNBC on Thursday, repeating again that he had nothing to hide.

The ball Bonds hit on Aug. 7 for his record-breaking 756th home run was purchased for $750,000 by fashion designer Marc Ecko and branded with an asterisk before being shipped to the Hall of Fame.

The asterisk represents the belief held by many fans that Bonds may not have spoken truthfully when denying steroid use.

"I will never be in the Hall of Fame, never," Bonds told NBC reporter Jim Gray in an interview on MSNBC's Countdown. "I won't go. I won't be part of it, I won't be there, you can call me but I won't be there.

"I don't think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball and I don't think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk in their Hall of Fame.

"You can't, you cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history, you can't do it. There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball."

Ecko said more than 10 million people had voted in an online ballot to determine the record-breaking ball's fate.

Bonds, seven-times National League MVP, left the door open for a change of heart but his chances of gaining entry into Cooperstown could hinge on the results of an ongoing grand jury investigation into whether he committed perjury while testifying in the BALCO scandal.

"That's my emotions now, that's how I feel now," said Bonds. "When I decide to retire five years from now we'll see where they are at that moment. We'll see where they are at that time and maybe I'll reconsider."

Bonds also said he would not co-operate with a Major League Baseball investigation into steroid use being conducted by Senator George Mitchell while the BALCO case investigation continues.

"I have nothing to hide, I have said that before and I will say it now and I will look you in the face, I have nothing to hide, nothing," said Bonds. "So look all you want to."

[Dr. Jack]

and I agree with him

[uva3021]

agree as well

[Back Country]

He knows hes a cheat and he knows everyone knows he is, what a pu**y. You make decisions in your life and have to deal with them, so tell the b*tch to deal with it.

So much for not giving a f*ck what happend to the ball yea?


I bet he cast as many votes as possible to have the ball sent to cooperstown as it was.

[Dr. Jack]

The Barry Bonds hate is so over the top. There has NEVER been proof of Bonds and steroids. You would think this entire list would have almost 800 homeruns. People just assume that steroids are the big reason why he hits homeruns

Baseball players caught using steroids or HGH

Alex Sanchez
Jorge Piedra
Agustin Montero
Jamal Strong
Juan Rincon
Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Palmeiro
Ryan Franklin
Mike Morse
Carlos Almanzar
Felix Heredia
Matt Lawton
Yusaku Iriki
Guillermo Mota
Juan Salas

Implicated or Rumored Players using steroids or HGH

Andy Pettitte
Armando Rios
Barry Bonds
Benito Santiago
Bobby Estalella
Bret Boone
Brian Roberts
Chuck Finley
Darren Holmes
Dave Hollins
Dave Martinez
David Bell**
David Segui
Gary Matthews Jr.
Gary Sheffield
Ivan Rodriguez
Jason Giambi
Jason Grimsley
Jay Gibbons
Jeremy Giambi
Jim Leyritz
John Rocker
Jose Canseco
Juan Gonzalez
Ken Caminiti
Lenny Dykstra
Manny Alexander
Mark McGwire
Marvin Bernard
Miguel Tejada
Ozzie Canseco
Paul Byrd
Paxton Crawford
Randy Velarde
Rick Ankiel
Roger Clemens
Scott Schoeneweis
Tom House
Tony Saunders
Troy Glaus
Wally Joyner
Wilson Alvarez

[Dr. Jack]

From Wilkopedia

Players Accused By Jose Canseco

* Former baseball player, Jose Canseco, wrote the book Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. The book states names of fellow team mates he injected and players around the league that Canseco claims to possibly have used steroids.
* Canseco's former team mate Rafael Palmeiro, among others, was on the list of players Canseco claimed to have used steroids. Palmeiro was eventually caught years later and suspended for 10 games. ESPN Story.
* Under the column 'Accused', players are listed as being accused, meaning Canseco has no physical evidence that they used, or listed as injected, meaning Canseco states that he injected that player before.
* The players listed below are people that Canseco mentioned in his book.

Player Team/Connection Position Claim
Sammy Sosa Chicago Cubs/Baltimore Orioles OF Accused
Miguel Tejada Oakland Athletics/Baltimore Orioles SS Accused
Rafael Palmeiro Texas Rangers/Baltimore Orioles 1B Injected
Juan Gonzalez Texas Rangers OF Injected
Ivan Rodriguez Texas Rangers C Injected
Mark McGwire Oakland Athletics 1B Injected
Jason Giambi Oakland Athletics 1B Injected

[edit] Baseball Players Linked to Steroid, THG, HGH Use
Player Team Date announced Position Reference
Gary Sheffield New York Yankees October 05, 2004 OF [2]
Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants December 04, 2004 OF [3]
Jason Giambi New York Yankees February 10, 2005 1B [4]
Andy Pettitte New York Yankees September 30, 2006 SP [5]
Roger Clemens New York Yankees September 30, 2006 SP [6]
Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles September 30, 2006 SP [7]
Brian Roberts Baltimore Orioles September 30, 2006 2B [8]
Gary Matthews, Jr. Anaheim Angels March 01, 2007 OF [9]
Rick Ankiel St. Louis Cardinals September 07, 2007 OF [10]
Troy Glaus Toronto Blue Jays September 07, 2007 3B/1B [11]
Jay Gibbons Baltimore Orioles September 30, 2006

September 11, 2007
OF [12]

[13]
Scott Schoeneweis New York Mets October 04, 2007 RP [14]
Paul Byrd Cleveland Indians October 21, 2007 SP [15]

[edit] Major League Players Suspended
Player Team Date announced Penalty Position Reference
Alex Sánchez Tampa Bay Devil Rays April 3, 2005 10 days OF [16]
Jorge Piedra Colorado Rockies April 11, 2005 10 days OF [17]
Agustín Montero Texas Rangers April 20, 2005 10 days P [18]
Jamal Strong Seattle Mariners April 26, 2005 10 days OF [19]
Juan Rincón Minnesota Twins May 2, 2005 10 days P [20]
Rafael Betancourt Cleveland Indians July 8, 2005 10 days P [21]
Rafael Palmeiro Baltimore Orioles August 1, 2005 10 days 1B/DH [22]
Ryan Franklin Seattle Mariners August 2, 2005 10 days P [23]
Mike Morse Seattle Mariners September 7, 2005 10 days SS [24]
Carlos Almanzar Texas Rangers October 4, 2005 10 days P [25]
Félix Heredia New York Mets October 18, 2005 10 days P [26]
Matt Lawton New York Yankees November 2, 2005 10 days OF [27]
Yusaku Iriki New York Mets April 28, 2006 50 games P [28]
Jason Grimsley Arizona Diamondbacks June 12, 2006 50 games P [29]
Guillermo Mota New York Mets November 1, 2006 50 games P [30]
Juan Salas Tampa Bay Devil Rays May 7, 2007 50 games P [31]
Neifi Perez Detroit Tigers July 6, 2007 25 games SS/2B [32]
Neifi Perez Detroit Tigers August 3, 2007 80 games SS/2B [33]
Mike Cameron San Diego Padres October 31, 2007 25 games OF [34]


[edit] Players With MLB Experience Suspended
Player Team Date announced Penalty Reference
Damian Moss Seattle Mariners April 4, 2005 Fifteen games [35]
Robert Machado Texas Rangers April 4, 2005 Fifteen games [36]
Clay Hensley San Diego Padres April 4, 2005 Fifteen games [37]
Brian Mallette Pittsburgh Pirates April 6, 2005 Thirty games (second violation) [38]
Jon Nunnally Pittsburgh Pirates April 6, 2005 Fifteen games [39]
Tom Evans Pittsburgh Pirates April 6, 2005 Fifteen games [40]
Grant Roberts New York Mets April 22, 2005 Fifteen games [41]
Darnell McDonald Cleveland Indians May 6, 2005 Fifteen games [42]
Steven Smyth Oakland Athletics May 12, 2005 Fifteen games [43]
Christian Parker Colorado Rockies May 12, 2005 Fifteen games [44]
Luis Ugueto Kansas City Royals May 13, 2005 Fifteen games [45]
Wilson Delgado Florida Marlins May 13, 2005 Fifteen games [46]
Ramón A. Castro Washington Nationals July 1, 2005 105 games (two violations) [47]
Matt Whiteside Toronto Blue Jays July 15, 2005 Fifteen games [48]
Wilson Delgado Florida Marlins August 12, 2005 Thirty games (second violation) [49]
Luis Ugueto Kansas City Royals August 16, 2005 Thirty games (second violation) [50]
Nerio Rodríguez Pittsburgh Pirates May 19, 2006 Fifty games [51]
Abraham Núñez San Francisco Giants May 24, 2006 Fifty games [52]
Yamid Haad San Francisco Giants May 31, 2006 Fifty games [53]

[Back Country]

How many of them broke the Home Run record or in a matter of a year added on 40+ pounds of muscle?

If you want enemies be successful, if you want friends be unsuccessfull.

He cheated to be successful and now he has to deal with it.

Even if it is f*cked up america does not mind as much when athletes cheat to become a good player, but if you cheat to become great you are going to get massacered.

[uva3021]

HGH wasn't illegal in baseball when he was using

didnt' really cheat

[The Judge]

Originally Posted by uva3021

HGH wasn't illegal in baseball when he was using

didnt' really cheat

Tetrahydrogestrinone (often referred to as THG or The Clear) is an anabolic steroid.

[L'il G]

Haha, he has "nothing to hide," yet won't co-operate with any investigations.

[Victor]

I agree with Barry Bonds. No proof what so ever that he took steroids. No proof = no asterisk, Proof = asterisk. Down the road if it can be proved that he took steroids, then I say yes put an asterisk next to his name. I just can`t see anybody getting dragged through the mud with no proof.

[Ron Mexico]

Greg Anderson??

[rjb1816]

Originally Posted by uva3021

HGH wasn't illegal in baseball when he was using

didnt' really cheat

except it was against the law but nice technicality attempt

[rjb1816]

lol **** him...even better if he doesn't go in.

[uva3021]

baseball is above the law

antitrust exemption