Why all the venom toward Barry Bonds?

Because Bonds is a JERK

Maris ALREADY has (or had) an asterisk by his name. It was put there by then-Commissioner Ford Frick (a long time friend of Babe Ruth) because Maris did not break Ruth's record within 154 games (which was the length of the season during Ruth's career). Maris' 61st HR came on the last day of the 1961 season, but he had only hit 59 HRs by the end of the 154th game.

Did major league baseball remove the 'asterisk' from Maris in the record books prior to the McGwire/Sosa fiasco in 1998?

The posters who pointed out that Bonds is a "jerk" are correct. That's exactly the reason the media can't stand him. He hates the press, always has (not that I blame him one bit on that).

Speaking of Bonds, I was channel surfing a couple of nights ago and came across that movie called "Rookie of the Year". That's the movie about a kid (Cubs fan) who breaks his arm, and when the arm 'heals', he ends up having a major league fastball, and he then gets to play for the Cubs (I think the kid was in Middle School when this happened)... his powerful arm was discovered when he and his friends were at a Cubs game. An opposing player hit a HR and this kid ended up with the ball. Naturally, he threw it back onto the field and he ends up throwing a strike all the way to home plate. The Cubs eventually locate him and sign him to a contract.

Anyway, during that movie, they show a number of actual major leaguers batting against the kid, and Barry Bonds is one of the players they showed... it was amazing to see Bonds at that time, he was almost as skinny as the kid. He was about 1/3 his current size...I liked Bonds as a player when he was with Pittsburgh (as he was in this film), but sometimes even I forget how trim the guy was in those days. The movie was made in 1993.

btw, Barry Bonds has been a 40/40 man once, not 'a few times'. In 1996 he hit 42 HR and stole 40 bases.

The other guys (McGwire, Giambi, Sosa) were all adored by the media... if not for Bonds and Canseco (also not well liked during his career), the sportswriters never would have made a big deal about the steroids issue. If McGwire and/or Sosa hadn't broken down and it was THEY who were chasing Ruth and Aaron instead of Bonds, we never would have heard about steroids from the press.

I think we all knew McGwire and Sosa were on juice during most of their careers... yet there wasn't a single sportswriter condenming them during their 'record-setting' 1998 season...the sportswriters couldn't get enough of these guys...because they liked 'em.

Tell you what, Canseco's looking pretty good right about now. I thought it was great when that pompous a$$ Palmeiro got nailed.

I agree with a previous poster about Bagwell... I think he got big in the arms from working out, but I don't think his body and head were ever at a point that it looked like he was juiced...

But yeah, Bonds has never liked the press, and because of this, the feeling's always been mutual. That's why all the venom.

Well Bonds actually has the record for single season home runs and if he has another two solid years in him (this one included) he could very well break Henry Aaron's record; thus making him the best power hitter in MLB history. Doing all this thanks to steroids? That's not right, baseball is a game of will, not substances. What Bonds has done is heinus to the sport and to its rich history. The other guys, McGwire, Giambi, Sosa; they're just fumes. They hold no 1st place records, they're stats are just as tainted as Bonds and they, too, deserve to have what they have done while on the juice removed from the books. Giambi doesn't hold any records, just has impressive stats; however, he has shown that he is an actual hitter lately showing unprecedented patience at the plate and swinging with authority, cleanly. Bonds is getting the limelight from all of this thanks to Game of Shadows (changed my life) and that he is going to surpass the real single season home run record holder's mark. (No one has gotton past 60 homers cleanly before the 150 game mark).

Well, in my opinion and I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN what anyone else thinks. All this steroid crap is just accusations, I'm not saying that he is or is not doing steroids, but I am saying there has been NO PROOF of him doing steroids. I think he should be treated better, but this world is so messed up people don't even get a chance to be loved. And by the way(listen to this one) there was a rumor that Bonds started steroids after the 98' season and IF that is so, then look at the accomplishments he made before that. He had won MVP twice back to back and was a 40-40 man a few times. Anyways even if on steroids in Baseball will not make you a better player. Baseball is not just about hitting people. WAKE UP! There is hitting, base running, throwing, fielding, and how much you strike out. Steroids won't help you do better in any of those except hitting the ball "FARTHER" and throw farther, but as far as calling it cheating, I wouldn't go that far, but YES I would agree not to use steroids and stuff like that. The reason you don't see the others you named getting booed is because they haven't hit a massive amount of home runs. Sosa did but 3 years ago only had cork in his bat 1 TIME. People accusated that Bonds was on steroids probably because he got big fast and suddenly. That could help to say he is on steroids, but I am not saying he is. Another is that since McGuire was on steroids and hit 70 Home Runs and then 3 years later, Bonds hit more, people were shocked and couldn't believe it and it stunned them so good that to this day, we see this crap. Until there is proof I won't say he is on steroids, but if he is then just remember the stuff I said before about how steroids doesn't help you play better and his accomplishments prior to all this crap.

Bagwell definitely didn't juice. He got big in his arms, but his head didn't exactly grow 3 sizes either. In fact, he stole a lot of bases during his prime, which you can't say about McGwire or Giambi or Sosa. Obviously Barry did his share of running too (remember he also has 500 steals), but typically roids slow you down.

The amount of hits a player gets in relation to the amount of times the ball only connects with the bat and is sent into fair territory is something no one keeps in mind... Barry Bonds' slugging percentage skyrocketed after he started juicing up, and that is why he's doing the same thin every other batter is doing, but sending it over the defense's gloves. Every batter in the majors can hit the ball, but Bonds is among an array of players who can hit it further because of performance enhancing substances. Maris and Aaron are the real home run kings, and they will never have an asterisk next to their names.

Because the others quit. Bonds won't. After Bonds is stopped then true fans will demand that MLB addresses the issue of who really holds all of the records. Maris is still the single season home run champ in my mind.

Because the others have all been friendly to the media & Bonds never has. Very simple.

No, postseason homestead runs do no longer count form in direction of the season-based data. via a wierd quirk of baseball data bookkeeping, even though, triples DO count form. weird and wonderful yet actual.

Everyone's mad that Bonds is decent after being on roids(if he was even on them). Theyboo him cuz he is better then the other players before, during and after his riod use(still assuming he even used them)