NEW YORK -- While Barry Bonds was breaking the home run
record in San Francisco, baseball commissioner Bud Selig was in New
York, preparing to meet with his chief steroids investigator.
Selig watched Bonds' 756th homer on television Tuesday night,
then met with George Mitchell on Wednesday before returning to
Milwaukee, a person with knowledge of Selig's whereabouts said. The
person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't allowed to
discuss the situation publicly.
Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, also was part of
the session.
Mitchell said in May that his probe was in its "final phases,"
but he has not publicly stated a timetable for issuing his report.
Selig was in San Diego on Saturday night when Bonds hit his
755th home run to tie Hank Aaron's record, but he left California
the following day and is not in San Francisco for the Giants'
series against the Washington Nationals.
In Selig's absence, baseball was represented at Tuesday night's
game by executive vice president Jimmie Lee Solomon and Hall of
Famer Frank Robinson, a special assistant in the commissioner's
office.
"I congratulate Barry Bonds for establishing a new, career home run record. Barry's achievement is noteworthy and remarkable," Selig said in a statement, released after he spoke to Bonds by telephone on Tuesday night. "While the issues which have swirled around this record will continue to work themselves toward resolution, today is a day for congratulations on a truly remarkable achievement."
Selig had said last month that he planned to meet with Mitchell
to discuss his view of steroids in baseball.
Mitchell declined comment Wednesday. The former Senate majority
leader was hired by Selig in March 2006.
Selig had said July 24 that he would try to be in attendance
when Bonds hit his milestone home runs and was at games in Los
Angeles and San Diego last week.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.