Read 'em and weep

The HOF responded to my email of 27 Sep. (See JCP's post and the comments). I decided to post my reply here on RMC. (BTW, here's the link so you can sound off to the HOF as well.)

Dear HOF:

Thank you for your smarmy and obsequious note of 2 Nov. I stand by my letter, forgetting of course about my ability to spell "embarrassment" and "publicity." Five points:

1) I am not your friend.

2) "Delay" in returning an e-mail? Are you kidding? Do you not have nerds in Cooperstown? Can you not write/borrow/steal/download a fooking automated reply system? Oops, I'm sorry, I think that WAS an automated reply.

3) Have you considered that 10,000,000 votes in an "on-line poll" was no more than six stateless hackers-for-hire writing code that voted 1,666,666 times each, with Mark Ecch-o casting the last one personally?

4) Do you have deliberately defaced artifacts on display with placards ("the entire story . . . will be presented fairly and balanced with facts and not supposition") about the OTHER famous ballplayers in the Hall? Yeah? Like who? And what do you say about THEM?

5) "Additionally, please know we have several other artifacts graciously donated by Barry Bonds from his career, including his historic 755th and 756th home runs."

Hunh?

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your letter regarding Barry Bonds’ 756th home run baseball which is being donated to the museum. Thank you for taking the time to express your views and we apologize for the delay in returning a reply.

We understand your consternation in the Museum accepting this donation, but we strongly believe it is a relevant and important artifact that belongs in Cooperstown. As an American history museum, our core mission is to tell the story of baseball history, both in the context of how it unfolds on the field, and also as it relates to American culture.

As you know, the baseball from Bonds’ 756th home run is being donated with an asterisk affixed to it. We do not condone defacing artifacts and would have preferred the baseball be donated in its natural state. We were willing to look beyond that in this instance, because of the historical relevance connected to the baseball. We will explain why it is defaced and what led to it being donated to the Museum in that condition.

In our opinion, the baseball speaks to many significant parallels between baseball and culture in 2007, some of which include: a representation of baseball fans’ sentiments about the home record, for a one-week period in September 2007; a symbol of the adversity Barry Bonds had to endure in passing Hank Aaron to become the all-time home run champion, and; the passion baseball fans have for baseball history, as evidenced by the popularity of the online poll, in which 10 million votes were cast during a one-week period.

When this artifact is eventually donated and placed on display in the Museum, the entire story -- from when the baseball left Barry Bonds’ bat and ended up in Cooperstown -- will be presented fairly and balanced with facts and not supposition: We share baseball history through exhibits and let our visitors interpret their own feelings.

Additionally, please know we have several other artifacts graciously donated by Barry Bonds from his career, including his historic 755th and 756th home runs.

We hope this sheds some light into our thinking. Thanks again for sharing your opinion, which we value.

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The Hall of Fame

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-----Original Message-----From: Mark O'Connor [mailto:moc@snowcrest.net] Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 1:18 AMTo: Baseball Hall of FameSubject: Barry Bonds baseball
IP Address:209.232.215.35
Name:Mark O'Connor
E-mail Address:moc@snowcrest.net
Department:info@baseballhalloffame.org
Subject:Barry Bonds baseball
Question and/or Comment:The ridiculous stunt regarding Mr. Ecko and the "asterisk" on #756 is an embarassment to baseball and the Hall of Fame. I am shocked you would blatantly disrespect one of the greatest American athletes of all time. Shame on you, succumbing to a juvenile publcity stunt by someone who knows nothing of the game! Give Barry his due, he's earned it.
Date of Birth:11/ 13/ 1959
Favorite Baseball Team:SF Giants
Favorite Hall Of Famer:Mike Schmidt