Fox Sports loaded its pregame show panel before Thursday night’s special MLB at Rickwood Field game, inviting Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. as special guests.
The game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals was billed as “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” given the 114-year-old Rickwood Field’s importance to that circuit. So obviously, some of the pregame talk surrounded that circuit’s legends, including Satchel Paige, regarded as one of the best pitchers of all time.
Fox on MLB’s Derek Jeter turned to Bonds and Griffey and asked the question: “Tell me right now, on the spot — what would you do against Satchel Paige?”
“Me?” Bonds asked. “Gone! Lost your mind Jeter! Gone! Simple. Gone. Read about it on ESPN!”
Everyone on the set got a big laugh out of Bonds’ answer. The boast was totally on-brand for Bonds. He flashed the same self-confidence that helped make him the MLB career home run leader, with a record seven MVP awards.
And Bonds may very well have taken the legendary Paige deep in a hypothetical matchup. But the situation there seemed to call for an answer along these lines: “I would have been honored to even get a hit off of Paige, I heard so many incredible stories about the man.”
[Photo Credit: Fox]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.