In 1930, Babe Ruth's salary with the New York Yankees was $80,000. That was $5,000 more than the president of the United States, Herbert Hoover, was making.
Remember, that was during the Great Depression, when the average American worker earned less than $1,400 per year.
When asked why he should be making more money than the president, Ruth was reported to have made the following reply:
"I had a better year than he did."
He did, indeed. While Hoover struggled against the Depression economy, the Bambino hit 49 home runs, scored 150 runs, knocked in 153 and had a batting average of .359.
Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees has certainly had a better year than the current denizen of the White House.
President Bush makes $400,000.
Plus expenses, of course.
Rodriguez made $28 million in 2007, not counting the $ 1.5 million he received this week for being named the American League's Most Valuable Player.
Rodriguez, known as A-Rod, hit .314 and led the major leagues with 54 homers and 156 RBIs.
After a bit of a soap opera in which he has changed his mind about leaving the team, Rodriguez and the Yankees are dotting the i's and crossing the t's on a 10-year contract that will pay the third baseman at least $275 million.
Still, he is not loved.
Seen by many fans as insincere, obsessed with his image and money-hungry, recently A-Rod has been unfortunately and certainly unfairly coupled with Barry Bonds when fans complain about the modern ballplayer.
For all his faults, Rodriguez, 32, is not a bad person. Bonds, 43, is a very bad person.
Bonds, who broke Henry Aaron's career record for home runs this year, has been indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice for telling a federal grand jury he did not knowingly use illegal steroids.
If the book "Game of Shadows" is accurate (and no major fact in it has been challenged by Bonds or anyone else), Bonds has cheated on his wife, his taxes and on baseball.
While he hasn't been convicted yet, it's more than a bit curious that since 1993, Bonds has gone from a size 42 jersey to a 52 and from a size 101/2 shoe to a 13.
The feet of grown-up people who don't have the glandular disorder acromegaly just don't grow like that without the use of human growth hormones.
We hardly need mention, Bonds' head has gotten so big that it could have satellites revolving around it.
Many baseball fans are hoping Rodriguez _ about whom there has never been a whiff of accusation about steroids _ breaks Bonds' records some day.
A-Rod may never be the most popular guy in New York, but at least he will have earned his records the old-fashioned way, by talent and hard work.
One day, we will see him inducted in Cooperstown's Hall of Fame. Right now, it would appear that Mr. Bonds is far more likely to see a prison cell than a plaque with his name on it in Cooperstown.
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