Gift Horses

In regards to the Steroid Scandal in Major League Baseball

"Condemn the class of '99!
Rip their records from the books
And scratch their names off lists of greats!"
-The crooked field we played upon
Has been pricked and poked, decayed!
Grab a sample of the clay
And send it to a lab to check
For traces of HGH,
Amphetamines and Prilosec!

"Condemn the class of '99!"
I hear in my old age.
Had a one year contract signed
To be my brand new team's DH.
Batting on the Interstates
Half way into July
The analysts all tried to find
A reason for my playing time,
Said, "He used to be a threat
When we saw him in '99."

So they looked into my past
And found an aching injury
The verdict on my deeds was passed
And Congress had their inquiries.
"A tear in your rotator cuff
Requires six months healing time,
But you were back in cleats and gear
By the middle of July!
Something must have been involved,
Condemn that class of '99!"

Truth is, we were in a pennant race
And rival pitchers had their edge:
Syringes full of HGH
And I was toeing off the ledge-
I couldn't miss the season's play
My arm too sore to throw,
Went to Brian with a claim,
Got something made down in BALCO.
Partook the world's most subtle crime:
Simply going with the flow.

So rip my records from the books!
The homeruns and the lack of outs,
Have the Congress give a look
Into the rafters of my mouth!
"Condemn the class of '99!
Take their numbers, thin and thick,
Prosecute them for their crime!
Their records can never stick!
Although we can't deplete the past,
We'll mark them with an asterisk!"

And so now we are the Black Sox.
And so now we are Pete Rose.
A generation lost in clay
Beyond the catches and the throws.
Take our numbers off the books,
Take our numbers, black them out!
Condemn the class of '99!
Their corruption screams out loud!
Pious, evil, little cheaters!
-We know, we looked them in the mouth.

Author's Note

Although this poem is about baseball, I think you can find how it relates to real life as well. I'll give some context about the steroid scandal:

In 2006, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig had Massachusetts Senator George Mitchell conduct an investigation into the use of Steroids in Baseball, in relation to the rise in power hitters from the late 90's and early 2000's. As a result, 89 players were vindicated and accused of using performance enhancing drugs, accusations that tarnished their entire careers. As of 2011, the reputations of these players continue to be damaged, and Hall of Fame careers are now brought into question, creating a generation of statistical follies discredited under the belief of steroid use.

Some Terms:

HGH-"Human Growth Hormone" -The most prevalent of all the steroids used
Prilosec-acid reflux medicine used to counteract steroids in drug tests
DH-"Designated Hitter"-A player who only bats, usually considered not physically fit to play the field, sometimes due to age.
"Batting on the Interstates"-A player with a batting average below .200, usually .265 and higher is the average of a "decent" hitter.
"Pennant Race"-Fight between teams for the best record in the league
Brian-Brian Mcnamee-Physical Trainer connected with supplying steroids to players
BALCO-lab that developed most steroids
Black Sox-1919 Chicago White Sox team that allegedly lost the World Series on purpose resulting in a mass ban of all players involved
Pete Rose-Baseball's all time hits leader, was banned for life due to allegedly having bet on games.

Reviews

[JelliFyshKissUs]

I tell you>>>ever since that scandal, all great players are guilty until proven innocent>> I was shocked to find out that the gov't has spent over $6 million dollars of taxpayer's money in the prosecution of Barry Bonds>> Could we really not spend that on a better purpose?>> But that shows how deep this cheating goes and how prevalent it has become>> Almost to the point where people are becoming numb to new revelations>> Great job on this poem>> The symbolism of the clay>> Fantastic!!!

[J.V. Stanley]

I. Love. This. Poem. This one is so cool! I love the rhythm and I especially love how unabashed you are and honest with the subject you write about. I also enjoyed how multi-dimensional it is! I'm not particularly fond of baseball myself (more of a hockey girl) but this poem is phenomenal and fun to read! I did hear about the scandal and I do enjoy reading poems about current or even past events.

[Raven Starhawk]

A superior writing gem. It was a well structured miracle if you ask me which I know you didn't but I liked this very much. It was a well cherished find.

[Muse]

Yes I love how on certain occasions people will dig up whatever they can from your past, and hold it AGAINST you. Great job on the note to readers, however, I think I would have understood the poem perfectly fine without it.

[Stammers]

I'm glad you had the explanation - not the biggest baseball fanatic being British and all, though I did get the gist when I was reading. You used the incident well to tell a story through, capture something bigger than the scandal, this is masterful, you write with such authority now I believe every line. You've just mastered the art of saying everything with little

'Partook the world's most subtle crime:
Simply going with the flow.'

[Christina May Shanaberg]

I, generally, avoid sports poetry, except writes about what it takes to be an athelete. You covered it all here. What a horrible way to be retired from the game of baseball; having your historious career 'BLACK BALLED." My mother worked for the attorney firm that tried to defend Pete Rose. He and all the players, whom have been condemned, will not be forgotten. These men and the men of other sports suffer so much physical pain and mental anguish to give their all to their games, their jobs or careers, to us, to theirselves. It's no game on these sports fields, it's a battle. For us it may be one or a few nights a week, only for a season; for them, it's their life. Like Jesse Owens, given back his medals, after he was dead. Atheletes should keep what they have earned, even when thrown out of the game. Isn't it enough to take their lives away; why try to take away their history. A great write, by the way!

P.S. This went to my library!

[just rose.]

Ok so what I know about baseball could fit on a peanut, and that's totally by choice, but what I love most about this is you totally riff the Augustans and Byron with the ironic, epic, satiric style, strong with meter, the meter absolutely underscoring your theme, resulting in a brilliantly executed take on a modern issue. Bravo!

[emmajoy]

Knowing little or nothing about baseball i almost gave this very finely written poem a miss. However your author's notes were/are so interesting that i went ahead, glad I did. Somehow within a well metered poem you told a very sad story and by the end of it I was thinking how shameful the whole thing seemed to be. But, I'm unsure as to whether or not the findings were the truth and nothing but the truth, that perhaps some of the players were wrongly accused. However ..

Seems in so many sports, participants are paid immoral sums of money, venerated like gods, the pressure put on them is terrible and, being human, ego and foolishness can be their weaknesses and - look what happens, reputations are shredded, lives ruined, little or nothing's left.

To some extent it's the public's fault, fans have ridiculous expectations. However it's not the fan who feeds a man with drugs, its the bent trainer, the greedy manager - whatever, who's to know. We're all to blame, whoever the player or the game - even life itself.

Great writing, interesting topic, made me think

[Marie Harrison]

Fascinating poem, thanks for bringing me an insiders view of baseball.
Doesn't seem right to say it didn't count because it happened,
they put so much of themselves into the game by taking the medicine.
They put their bodies at risk for the game.
But it's cheating. An organic competition would be better
for the sport and the bodies of the players.
Cheating sets a bad example for children who watch the
sport too. Great poem! Thought provoking for me.

[Joiedevivre]

What an interesting and well crafted poem. I thoroughly enjoyed its literal and metaphoric form, and learnt something too. Thank you :)

[FireWoman]

Intellectually sparks some great debates, great work.