715

Yesterday, Barry Bonds hit his 715th career homerun, passing Babe Ruth for second all time. He is still 40 behind the all time record holder, Hank Aaron.

It does not appear that Bonds will pass Aaron at this point. Bonds has struggled to continue playing because of injuries. However, the significance is that it is only the second time a man has hit his 715th homerun.

The last time, Hank Aaron, a black man, received numerous racially-based death threats. It is unknown if Barry Bonds has experienced the same intimidation. But it is clear that Bonds has received the cold shoulder from the country and from baseball fans. How much of it is because of the likelihood that he used steroids to improve his performance? How much is due to his terse personality? And how much is due to the fact that Bonds is a black man, who has the first two questions swirling around him, and just beat Babe Ruth, the god-like figure of white athletes? You can answer these questions.