[新聞] Soul Mates: Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez
USA - George Herman, meet Alexander Emmanuel.
In other words, Babe Ruth, meet your soul mate and counterpart, Alex
Rodriguez. Because you are one and the same. The only things that separate
you are time and perception. You are the most famous, and the best,
ballplayers of your time. Your lives are parallel, and inseparable. You are
larger-than-life, cardboard cutouts of the same persona. The only difference
between you is that the Babe is still revered as the greatest figure in
baseball, and the savior of the game after the Black Sox scandal. And Alex
Rodriguez is reviled and considered to be the destroyer of the game. Why?
Looking at their lives, the similarities are astounding. Both grew up without
their father being a large part of their lives. Babe in a home for
incorrigible boys, and Alex without his father after his parents' divorce,
and just now reconciling with him. Babe had the brothers of St. Mary's, and
Alex had his uncles. But neither had their father when they were needed most.
Both were teenage phenoms who enjoyed success in the Majors before they
turned 20. Both starred at more than one position, and they were both
multiple MVP award winners, as well as making multiple All-Star game
appearances.
Both starred for multiple teams, with their greatest success coming with the
Yankees (so far for Alex, the rest remains to be seen). Both set hitting and
power records at young ages, and are always mentioned as the youngest (or the
first) when it comes to counting significant homerun numbers.
Both were married and divorced, due to the influences of outside women. Alex
has his strippers; Babe had his notorious house of ill-repute in New Orleans.
Both were later involved with, and somewhat controlled by, women in show
business. Claire Ruth was a Ziegfeld girl, and we all know about Madonna is.
Both have suffered dubious injuries to keep them out of the lineup at the
start of season. Alex's torn labrum in his hip (no proof it is steroid
related, but it is convenient), and Babe's 'bellyache' heard-round-the-world.
Babe came back, albeit at a younger age, and was still Babe. Alex should be
fine and continue to be the best player in the game, as he reaches most
career milestones.
Both were/are overgrown child who don't have face any real responsibility in
life, and just get to play a game. Both move(d) through life like they don't
really have a clue what's going on around them, being easily manipulated by
others, and just enjoying who they are and what life brings them. There is a
child-like innocence to both that can't be denied.
Both were considered less-than perfect teammates, who cared more for their
own statistics than the good of the team. Ideas that cannot really be backed
up by the facts, as both were heads-up ballplayers that were very competitive
on the field, and a better teammate than given credit for.
The main difference is in what matters to fans and, particularly and
rightfully so, to Yankee fans. Babe went to 7 World Series in 15 years with
the Yankees, winning only 4 of them. He had 3 other wins with the Red Sox. In
his years with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Yankees, Alex hasn't
been to any World Series. But let's be fair also. In his 5 seasons, the
Yankees did finish with the best record in the league twice, which, in the
old days, would have gotten them straight to the Series, both times facing
the Cardinals. In 2004, it's pretty much a given that that they would have
won. In 2006, it's a toss-up. If Babe would have played in multi-division
era's, with drafts, free agencies, and the like, history might have been
different.
And while Alex will be forever known for his steroid use, Babe will get a
pass on his excesses in life. Unfairly. Let's remember, most of Babe's career
was played under the specter of Prohibition. But Babe was a huge drinker, and
not afraid to let people know about it. Babe violated federal, state and
local laws with his drinking, but it was largely ignored because - 'hey, it's
the Babe'. And I'm sure we can safely guess that if other illicit substances
were available back then, Babe would have tried them out. That was his
personality. Alex used steroids, but actually broke no laws. Both cheated on
their wives, both used banned/illegal substances, and both thought they were
larger than the game itself.
The only thing difference between these two is the era in which they played.
Babe played at a time when there weren't as many distractions in life, and
ballplayers were revered and loved. At a distance, Babe did what he did, and
largely got away with it because of a fawning and forgiving press, and the
desire of the club owners to keep their reputations clean. The public didn't
know their heroes were tainted, and probably didn't want to. Alex is reviled
by the 24-hour press, no longer willing to be the lapdogs of the players. The
owners are still out to protect themselves, but at the expense of the players
today, not to help them. The public today thrives on controversy and any
opportunity to knock someone off of their pedestal.
Yeah, Babe is still known around the world, and is always in the discussion
as the greatest player of all time. He still has superstar status in the
game, over 60 years after his death.
He lived in a by-gone era when the world was different. Alex has to live in
the world into which he was born, and doesn't get the passage of time to help
him. But he should.
If you want to love Babe, you can't hate Alex. If you want to despise Alex,
you can't idolize Babe. They have to be looked at the same, with the only
distinguishing criteria being World Series wins. And no other extenuating
circumstances. One and together. Inseparable.
Because Alex Rodriguez is who Babe Ruth would be today.
Photo courtesy of wikinfo.org
Ron Rollins is the author at Baseball Over Here and can be contacted at
ronrollins@hotmail.com
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