the greatest player I have ever witnessed in my lifetime was talking with 'the commissioner' about the game and what it's been like pursuing The Record. Not much of interest really until he was asked 'what's been the toughest thing now that you're so close to the record?' The greatest player I have ever witnessed in my lifetime began to give another practiced answer but then paused, thought and said something of much greater interest...'the only thing that gets me is when they change the balls - I gotta try and not see that change. In my mind, when I see the ball change, that's when you know something different is going on'
Wait? What did he mean 'when they change the balls'? and then it hit me - MLB places a special stamp on balls they want to verify for historic reasons, a way to make sure those moral stalwarts in the memorabilia business don't cheat the public (or at least don't cheat MLB and other moral stalwarts in the memorabilia business)
So in the less than the 0.42 seconds it takes a ball moving in excess of 90mph to travel the distance from a pitcher's hand to home plate, the greatest player I have ever witnessed in my lifetime eye/mind (1.) recognizes the stamp (2.) thinks 'hmmm...that's different - ooooh yeah, I'm only a few homeruns away from The Record, they'll want to be able to get that ball back' (3.) determines if the pitch is one he will choose to send hurtling back through the atmosphere at a great distance and even greater speed.
*For those of you unfamiliar with the game of baseball - this is not easily accomplished or really, even fathomed. It's not quite TGHWL© reading the label off a spinning 45 from across the room - but it's close
I'm not naive, I've read Game of Shadows, I've followed his career since his call up in '86 and I've seen all the physical changes... I also know without any doubt, that Barry Lamar Bonds is the greatest player I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.
*attributed to 'The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived'
