During The Rickwood Field Pre-Game Show, Barry Bonds Was Asked How He Would Do Facing Satchel Paige - His Humble Answer? "Simple. Gone."
Before we get into Barry Bonds vs. Satchel Paige we have to talk about how awesome this whole Rickwood Field spectacle has been. FOX and MLB absolutely nailed this. Baseball is being played right now in the oldest professional park in existence. The impact and the history surrounding this place is unbelievable. Some of the guests in attendance will blow your mind, including the oldest living Negro League player, 99 year old Bill Greason. This has been a fantastic tribute and appreciation to how important the players who broke the color barrier were to not only baseball history, but human history.
Speaking of Greason, you wanna talk about a guy who has seen some things…
He threw out the first pitch tonight and then gave this incredible interview. If I ever live to be 99 years old I'll be a vegetable drinking out of a straw. This dude is more active than half my co-workers. Amazing that man is able to do so much still.
The transformation of the field has been something else. When you consider the old dimensions and how they used to play, it makes us all feel like big ol' pussies.
One of the best moments was pregame when Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. joined the broadcast. We're talking 2,889 homers right there on the desk. Jeter had the balls to ask Barry what would happen if he faced Satchel Paige back in the day. Barry's answer was vintage Barry.
Yeah Barry hasn't missed a beat. If there's one thing that'll never leave that man until he dies, it's confidence. There's never been a living, breathing human being who has gripped a baseball that Barry didn't feel comfortable against. This is not to say Ted Lilly was anywhere near the same stratosphere as the great Satchel Paige, but I have a feeling if Satchel saw this home run he'd shit himself.
They didn't have radar guns back then, but in MLB the Show Satchel throws 105 mph. Video games don't lie, everybody knows that. He also had pitches called the Blooper, the Trouble ball, Long Tom, and the microscopic Bee-Ball. All that considered, my money is still on Bonds. If I lose having faith in Barry Bonds at the plate then so be it.
FOX later went with the 1950s filter for a bit with the sound of a projector reel in the background. Nostalgia times a billion. This will make you appreciate how far we've come with broadcast technology.
I wouldn't be doing this event its justice if I didn't include the powerful history lesson Reggie Jackson gave everyone when it came to racism and segregation back in the day. FOX for sure didn't expect this segment to go that way, but in order to preserve the authenticity it for sure was the right move. The kind of story that will stop you in your tracks and force you to listen.
Warning: very strong language below
This game taking place just a few days after the passing of Willie Mays is sad, but also a beautiful tribute towards him with his 24 painted largely behind home plate. Everyone involved knocked this out of the park.