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Baseball fan Rudy Giuliani flubs Barry Bonds reference

BY TOM BRUNE | tom.brune@newsday.com

9:11 PM EST, January 10, 2008

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Rudy Giuliani loves baseball, but does he know the game?

According to a clip played by sports reporter Jared Max on WCBS-AM Thursday morning, Giuliani spoke about the impact of the steroids scandal on the pursuit of the record for all-time most home runs by Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez.

"Is Bobby Bonds' record a legitimate record that A-Rod should be shooting for," Giuliani asked, "or should A-Rod be judged by the Babe Ruth standard, assuming A-Rod did not take steroids?"

A good question, except Bobby Bonds, long retired from baseball, is the late father of the current homerun record holder, Barry Bonds. It's Barry who is accused of using steroids, though he denies it.

And if Barry Bonds is stripped of his record, it reverts not to Babe Ruth, who had 714 home runs, but Hank Aaron, the former Atlanta player who hit 755 before retiring years ago.

WCBS said Max got the clip from a video on the BrightCove Web site, apparently recorded and posted Jan. 9, of Giuliani at an appearance in Jacksonville, Fla.

Giuliani's campaign had no immediate comment.