This is a follow up to my blog entry about Barry Bonds and the home run record, you can read it here. I summed up how I feel about the home run record and Barry Bonds in that entry. When I finished writing it I decided to write another entry after the record was broken. In case you do not already know, last night Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run, surpassing the previous record holder, Hank Aaron. I have a strong connection with this new record because of how it happened, when it happened, and what happened immediately following this historic event.

Home run 756 was made possible thanks to Washington Nationals and pitcher Mike Bacsik. Mike Bacsik's father faced Hank Aaron, and denied Hank 756. I will leave you to think about both father and son delivering the 756th home run! The Washington Nationals are my team, I live in DC, its been my home for the last six years. I spent about 30+ games watching the Nats at RFK over the last two years. I never really considered Bonds would get home run 756 against my guys until late last week. I hoped that the teams the Giants faced before the Nationals, the Dodgers or Padres, would give up the record setting home run. I missed most of those games, because I attended three Nationals games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Home run 755 tied Bonds with Hank Aaron on Saturday, it happened while my wife and I were leaving the Nationals - Cards game. We heard the news on the radio in the car, and we learned Bonds would not play on Sunday. It sunk in for a brief moment, the Nationals were heading to San Fransisco to play the Giants on Monday. Without a "true" starting pitcher on the Nationals it looked good for Barry, bad for the Nationals. Factor that in with the fact that the Giants were playing at home in front of the Bonds faithful and it looked really bad for the Nationals. At that moment I said to my wife, "oh well guess I'll be staying up late to watch the games". That was all the distraction I would allow myself.

Except for that brief realization in the car, my feelings about baseball and my team were all positive. One of my birthday presents was tickets to Saturday's Nationals game. Not just any tickets - diamond club seats. Seven rows behind home plate, my eyes level with the catchers left shoulder. The pitcher gunning balls, down the pipe. Without the fence in front, wild pitches could take our heads off. To my left and right I could see into the dugouts, I caught the reactions of the either team to the play on the field. The Nationals must of heard I was watching, they delivered a stunning 12-1 victory, with two home runs coming from my favorite National, Ryan Zimmerman. All was right with baseball that night, Bonds could wait.

Sunday was recovery from the last three games in the disgusting DC heat. I think I lost some brain cells over those games. Monday, it was time to be disappointed about what might happen when the Giants faced the Nationals. The Nationals place in history would go the way of the Washington Generals (the team that plays the Globe Trotters). This was big exposure for the Nationals. They had already destroyed the pre-season prediction that they would set a milestone record for loses in a single season. They produced an All-Star and potential come back player of the year in Dimitri Young. And if the Nationals can keep it going and get on some winning streaks there is a potential coach of the year for first year manager Manny Acta. All of this would be lost to the infamy of 756. It was a tough day to be a Nationals fan. Monday night was the night I thought would happen, against rookie Nats pitcher John Lannan. Lannan's 3rd start (maybe 4th) since coming up to the majors would be against the Giants. Lannan held off Barry, to my surprise. Lannan pitched right at Bonds and denied him his place in history for one more night. Once again the Nationals reminded me that I should not count them out.

Last night the Giants drew Mike Bacsik, of the three starting pitchers facing the Giants in the series, he was the one I was least worried about. Lannan is a rookie, Redding (playing tonight) was in the minors for awhile after coughing up some huge runs back in March. I felt pretty good going into the game last night. Then the game started to play out, both pitchers were giving up home runs. With Ray King, a solid reliever for the Nationals who never gave Bonds a home run, in the bull pen I still had hope. Come on, one more inning Mike! Nope, Mike Bacsik put it down the middle, along the inside of the plate, but not inside enough. Mike dropped his head, he did not have to watch. 756. "Oh well, poor guys, no one is gonna remember the Nationals for anything else for a long time", I said to my wife. I listened close, to see if I could hear any boos, none. Good I thought, his kids are there, his god father, the great Willie Mays is there, and the Giants fans in the stands have a piece history. If I were a fan of Bonds I would want the same thing. I watched Barry run the bases, grinning, fire works exploding in the distance. Hank Aaron deserved this kind of show I thought, oh well, this is how it was meant to be. My thoughts were of Padme. So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause. Then I laughed, and said, "Hank you're still the greatest".

Bond's family joined him, the Nationals applauded. Then Hank Aaron appeared on the screen at the stadium, with special a message. Previously Hank said he would not attend the chase, he would celebrate the new record in his own way. I encourage you all to listen to what Hank said. It was a surprise to me, it was special, heart felt, and full of class. In his short speech he reminded me what is so great about these numbers. Hopes and dreams. Its about showing people that anything is possible. Hank Aaron said it - he "passed the torch" to Barry Bonds, with the hope that Barry's record would inspire others. For that moment I allowed myself a chance to take it all in. Good, bad, whatever you may think about Bonds, no one and no sport is beyond redemption. For that one moment the "S" word, bad attitudes, bad role models, lazy commissioners, and the rest were gone from my mind. Hank Aaron took a moment that I dreaded and made me proud to be a fan. As corny as it sounds Hank Aaron gave Barry Bonds a moment of redemption in my book. It was a gift no one expected.

Hank Aaron did not have anyone to make a speech like that. Not everyone acknowledged his achievement. Some denied it happened. I cannot help think that Hank Aaron wanted to give something to Barry and everyone that he did not get right away, respect. Maybe it was just the moment, maybe it was Hank's words, but before play resumed Bascik made his way to the mound and tipped his hat to the Giants dugout before being taken out off the game. The Nationals TV announcers kept it simple, never mentioning the "s" word. They simply acknowledged what a great moment it was for some, and that for others there were still questions. On ESPN, it was all about controversy, did they even listen to Hank?

Hank Aaron's record lasted 33 years, set in 1974, the year I was born. Now 33 years later Hank Aaron's act of kindness has inspired me. I still have dreams to follow, and I am not done yet. No matter what happens with the investigations, no matter how many astericks they throw in record books, the number 756 will always belong to me and all the other dreamers out there who still love baseball.

Thank you Barry Bonds
Thank you Washington Nationals
But most of all Thank you Hank Aaron