| Tuesday, May 09, 2006 |
| Babe Ruth vs Barry Bonds |
When Barry Bonds hits career homeruns 714 and 715, he will tie and then break Babe Ruth's career record. The major league record, of course, is 755, held by Hank Aaron.
Who was the better athlete? Let's say for a moment that Bonds isn't juiced up on 'roids. I know that's a big "if;" but just for a moment set it aside. Bonds has access to a tremendous amount of modern nutrition science and physical training equipment. In 2003, Muscle and Fitness magazine published Bonds' workout routine: Mondays, chest and biceps; Tuesdays, quads and hamstrings; Wednesdays, back and abs; Thursdays, shoulders and triceps; and Fridays, quads and hamstrings.
His nutrition regimen is even more strict. He eats about 6 times a day. His morning, pre-workout and post-workout meals include specific amounts of whey protein isolates, phenylalanine, glutamines and many other vitamins and minerals. His afternoon, evening and before bedtime meals include the same amounts but add fatty acids, complex carbohydrates and Vitamin B12.
Barry Bonds is definitely a 21st-century athlete.
Babe Ruth, on the other hand, was the poster child of pre-Depression era extravagances -- love of fine food, appetite for alcohol and penchant for late night parties. He showed up for many games drunk. He was ultimately sold to the Yankees because his prima donna antics.
So it boils down to a comparison between a sleek, well-trained meathead and, well, a John Daly look- and act-alike. Who's the better athlete? Drum roll, please. It's a tie! Now, for the tiebreaker: nicknames.
Barry Bonds, nickname: None. Bor-ring! George Herman Ruth, Jr., nickname: Babe, the Great Bambino, the Sultan of Swat. It looks like we have a winner. |
posted by Joe Napalm @ 5:20 PM   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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Only in baseball is it news when someone is about to beat the 2nd man on the list. You never hear this much hoopla over a running back breaking Walter Payton's records, Emmit Smith holds the rushing record. I have to say that I like the mystique of Ruth, the tradition, and the iconoclastic image Ruth is to baseball.
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It doesn't bother me much that Bonds might break the Babe's record, but it does bother me that he might even break Hank Aaron's record. Hammerin Hank not only holds the record for most career home runs, but he has held many other hitting records in additon to being a good baserunner and a superb outfielder. Neither of which Barry "The Bayside Pill Pusher" Bonds does exceptionally well. If he is ever indicted for "roids" pumping, I hope they expunge his name from all record books - except the one held at the courthouse!
:o)}
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Only in baseball is it news when someone is about to beat the 2nd man on the list. You never hear this much hoopla over a running back breaking Walter Payton's records, Emmit Smith holds the rushing record. I have to say that I like the mystique of Ruth, the tradition, and the iconoclastic image Ruth is to baseball.