By necessity, the Aug. 13 issue of SI did not include Barry Bonds’ momentous occasion. Working for a weekly pubication myself, I appreciate the problems of trying to include the latest news when you have to go press, even while that news is happening.
However SI does feature, as its cover story, Bonds’ 755th home run.
The print version features Chris Ballard’s “End of the Chase” story (even if the title was a bit premature) and a year-by-year sidebar on “The Evolution of Barry Bonds,” following his days as an up-and-coming Pittsburgh Pirate through his Giants years. In addition to keeping track of his home run and other offensive numbers, the piece also thoughtfully tracks Bonds’ weight, from 185 pounds as a 21-year-old in 1986, to his current 238 at the age of 42 (he also seems to have grown an inch, from 6’1″ to 6’2″). I can’t help but think that this is a nod to the steroid controversy. Would the editors have supplied that information if Alex Rodriguez was the one breaking Hank Aaron’s mark?
In addition to Bonds’ record-tying knock, SI‘s opening photo section gives props to A-Rod, who hit his 500th homer, and Tom Glavine, who became the 23rd pitcher to win 300 (Glavine is also the main story in Albert Chin’s “Inside Pitch” feature.
Additional baseball items this week:
- The SI MLB Poll asks “Who is the most intimidating starting pitcher in baseball (Randy Johnson, who may never pitch again because of recurring back problems, led with 15 percent, followed by the Padres’ Jake Peavy and the Twins’ Johan Santana)
- A recap of Julio Franco’s major league history
- A table of plate appearances between the 499th and 500th home runs
- “Hitting a curveball with Matt Holliday”
- Recollections of four active pitchers who have thrown no-hitters
- “Consider This,” a weekly column from Baseball Prospectus on 300 game winners.
Just as an aside: is anyone else tired of the recently-imposed “Golf Plus” feature? Just asking.
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