Baseball's Fractured Mythology

Sports history is history in the sense that it is the retelling of actual events. However, history itself, particularly sports history, and even more particularly baseball history, relies on a certain sense of mythology. That is to say historical figures are not remembered as the actually were (for those who actually remember their existence pass away with time), but as the mythological characters they were created to be. In baseball history, Babe Ruth is a god. Few now can attest to what it was actually like to watch Babe Ruth play, however the memory of his home runs has permeated the minds of any baseball fan, through lore passed down thrown books, film and television. We don't know too much about Babe's personal life, just that he transcended the game in a way no player had (or would until Barry Bonds). In fact, what we "remember" most about the Babe is an event that never actually happened - his "called shot." Legend held that in the 1932 World Series, Babe pointed to the center field bleachers and told the pitcher he would hit the next pitch there. He then proceeded to do so. This moment has been one of the most defining moments of baseball history, though more than 60 years later, actually video footage of it would call its validity into question. But what those who debate this event's accuracy fail to realize is that it's not important what actually happened - it's only important that we believe it important. Even if it's just a myth, it's a myth that fuels dreams and legend and, most importantly, fuels the game itself too.

Barry Bonds is a myth as well - albeit a living, breathing myth. However, Bonds as we know him is simply what the media has created him to be. Bonds is severely lacking in media skills and thus not as adept at constructing his media image as Babe was, preferring to play into writer's expectations just a bit too much. Thus, the mythological figure of Barry Bonds is a villain, a pariah, a fraud in the face of true gods. Bonds did bring some (much?) of this on himself, however in another era with far less scrutiny, he would be the opposite. Baseball is being scrutinized and dissected in a way like never before. No longer are just a player's accomplishments on the table, but his sex life, family relationships, workout habits, and, yes, performance-enhancing drugs of choice.

These drugs have been part of the game for over a decade - while others, particularly amphetamines, have been a regularity for decades (dating back to the great Henry Aaron's day). In fact, every era of baseball history has its own skeletons in the closet, whether it be drugs or a "whites only" rule. Bonds is victim of the fact that more than ever, writers are less concerned with mythologizing baseball as this great symbol of America, and instead are interested in breaking down these once sacred myths. Take away the steroids, they say, and Bonds is merely a human being. In fact, take the steroids out of the game, and they are all just average human beings. Not exactly the types who fuel legends and dreams. Enjoyment of sports requires you to think outside of the real world - in the age of media scrutiny however, it is harder to escape the harsh reality.