Ray Glier

ATLANTA - I called Bob Hope.

Not that Bob Hope, you know, the great entertainer. I called the Bob Hope who was the Atlanta Braves public relations man in the 70s. He was the guy who stood with Hank Aaron when Aaron chased Ruth.

I told Bob Hope I saw a news report that there were approximately 40 reporters gathered around Barry Bonds in the dugout before a recent game.

“Is that all?” he said.

Bob Hope was thinking 40 reporters would have been a day off for him 33 years ago. He could have stayed home and had an intern handle things.

Hope was 25 years old when Aaron was chasing the greatest name in baseball history. Reporters were everywhere, but they were easy because there were other things to worry about.

Like the death threats. The FBI manned the gates at one game looking for a sniper. When an obnoxious fan set off a firecracker at one game, Hope said people who knew of the death threats against Aaron dove for cover.

Then there were the parents who told their kids to act like they had a terminal illness so they could get an autograph from Aaron. They would line up in the dugout before a game and Hope would stand by as Hank would sign.

“Hank knew some of them weren’t sick,” Hope said, “but he said it was worth it to sign for the ones that were.”

And there were letters like this:

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“Listen Black Boy, we don’t want no ni---r Babe Ruth.”

There were reporters questioning Aaron’s motives when he sat out a game in Cincinnati to start the 1974 season, not understanding it was manager Eddie Matthews who made Aaron sit.

There were reporters who said Aaron’s wife, Billye, was overbearing and told him what to think and when to think it.

So, I’m thinking, the first time Barry Bonds says the pressure is too great, and that there are too many reporters, I’m going to throw up.

Bonds needed to be around 33 years ago when Aaron, the first black superstar of the south, was chasing a white icon like Babe Ruth.

The venom from New York — and the southern parlors — came rushing at Aaron like a freight train.

The two sluggers have something in common. There are people who don’t want Bonds to break the most coveted record in baseball just as there were those didn’t want Aaron going by Ruth.

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The difference is Aaron was hated because of his color. Bonds is hated because of his greed. He was a hitter of doubles and singles, but Bonds wanted more and, according to most reports, used a performance-enhancing drug to help him bash home runs.

Maybe that is why there is a lack of fascination with Bonds’ chase. A lot of baseball fans just shrug as he chased and finally passed Aaron. His chase is not real.

What Aaron did 33 years ago was real. The media came from all over the world to watch him chase Ruth.

It is an international game now, but in 1973 and 1974 it was a big deal that Japan, Mexico, as well as many newspapers from every corner of the U.S., were shadowing Aaron.

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