Jason Whitlock often makes provocative arguments centering around race and sports. A lot of the time, I agree with him. But not today. He argues that the hubbub about Bonds and A-Rod steroid scandals is all about a desire to protect... the legacy of Babe Ruth.
Babe Ruth is not going anywhere without a massive, nuclear fight. His supporters do not care that he dominated a segregated, inferior brand of Major League Baseball.Uh, no. Who are these people trying to protect the legacy of Babe Ruth? Ruth's last game was played in 1935, and he died in 1948. There's just about nobody still alive in the baseball or media establishments who knew Ruth or ever saw him play.Babe Ruth is an important symbol, and challengers to his throne will be greeted with immense resistance.
If the Babe has played any role in the mythology of baseball in the past two decades, it's been as part of the "Curse of the Bambino" nonsense. And besides, just about everyone I've ever heard express shame that Bonds got the home run record has said so out of shame that it was Hank Aaron who was beaten out, not Ruth.