One of my most pleasant baseball memories was a summer night in the mid-90's in the bleachers of Yankee Stadium. The Mariners were in town, it was a good rivalry at the time and the crowd was in full-throated splendor. Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey were getting razzed all night long and Buhner just stared toward home plate, never looking back. Griffey, though, would turn his head every now and then, grinning and that just got the crowd going more. Late in the game, a ball went into the right-centerfield gap and Griffey dove to make a splendid catch. After returning the ball to the infield he turned to the bleachers, put his glove on his left hand and spun it while smiling even wider. The bleachers had no choice but to applaud him.
I thought of that today after reading Sportphile's excellent breakdown of the media's ignorance of his upcoming 600th home run.
I believe this is so unfair and hypocritical because Ken Griffey may be the first player in the last 35 years to reach 600 without cheating. He's being forced to quietly make history in the shadows.
As much negative press ESPN gave Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa for their alleged steroid use, you'd think they would take the initiative and celebrate a man who did things the right way.Griffey hit homer no. 597 last night against Houston and, barring another injury, should get there well before Memorial Day.
Jay Buhner always stood out from the crowd during his playing days, what with his shaved head and funky goatee, not to mention the fact that he was always wearing his trademark wraparound glasses long before they were considered cool. 
