Input: Coalition Denied Keys to New York Senate Chamber After Coup
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The leader of a coalition that mounted Monday's coup in New York's Senate says he's being denied the keys to the historic chamber.

The alliance of Republicans and two dissident Democrats is asking for the resignation of the secretary of the Senate, a position appointed by the Democratic conference that appears to have lost its majority. The secretary holds the chamber's keys.

Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. is the new head of the Senate if the overthrow stands, as many now expect. He says that he if can't get the keys to the Senate he will open the session Wednesday in another room, or even a park.

Espada, a Bronx Democrat, says he's sure the coup is final and will withstand any legal or political challenge.

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It's about: The leader of a coup in New York's Senate that is demanding the resignation of the secretary of the Senate says he's being denied the keys to the historic chamber.

Q: Extra Practice Pays as Bonds Ties Aaron’s Mark

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 4  Barry Bonds was waiting, the San Francisco Giants were waiting and the baseball world was waiting. Eventually, Bonds was going to nudge into a tie with Hank Aaron on the career home run list. Even if it was not necessarily an untainted achievement, it was inevitable. That inevitability rumbled into reality on Saturday night.

With the blur of his black maple bat, Bonds drove Clay Hensleys fastball over the left-field wall and off an advertising sign in the second inning at Petco Park and drove himself into one of the most hallowed places in baseball history. Bonds and Aaron are each parked at 755 home runs, but Bonds is only idling. He will soon become the new home run king.

The hardest part is over now, Bonds said.

For more than a week, hundreds of camera flashes have gone off every time Bonds has batted, and that blitz continued. Finally, Bonds provided the picture that has long been anticipated. When Hensley, the right-hander for the San Diego Padres, threw a 2-1 pitch that was high and outside, Bonds slashed at it and turned it into a lucrative souvenir.

As soon as Bondss ball caromed off the sign, there was a mixed reaction. Bonds did not hear relentless jeers, as many had suspected that he might. Instead, he received a combination of cheers and boos. But there were some moments when the cheers seemed louder in a park where Bonds has been repeatedly vilified.

Because Bonds has been linked to investigations into the use of steroids, he has routinely been booed at opposing ballparks. But when Bondss 755th homer launched into history at 7:29 p.m. here, there was a portion of the enemy crowd that applauded. Some fans in left field also hoisted asterisk signs as their way of protesting. Hensley became the 445th pitcher to allow a home run to Bonds. The Padres prevailed, 3-2, in 12 innings.

Its a really tough situation, Bonds said. This is the hardest thing Ive ever gone through in my entire career. Its a different feeling than any of the other ones.

Hensley failed a steroid test as a minor leaguer in 2005 and was suspended. With all of the suspicion about steroids that has surrounded Bonds, the pitcher who surrendered the homer was the one who had failed a test. Bonds dodged the topic.

I dont think were here to discuss those matters, Bonds said. I think we have a great policy in this game of baseball and we should leave it at that.

Hensley said that his plan was to challenge Bonds, which he did for one fateful at-bat.

Obviously, you dont want to be the guy that gave up the home run, but it is what it is, Hensley said.

When Bonds made it across the plate, his son, Nikolai, a Giants batboy, was waiting. Bonds hugged Nikolai, lifted him and carried him for a few feet. The Giants emptied their dugout to congratulate Bonds. He walked behind the plate and kissed his wife, Liz, and his daughter, Aisha, through the backstop netting. The Padres showed a home run list with Bonds and Aaron together on the scoreboard.

The home run swing was the kind of quick, powerful thrust that has made Bonds such a dangerous hitter for more than two decades. It was the kind of swing that had been missing as Bonds went his previous 28 plate appearances without even drilling a ball to the warning track.

After Bondss home run, Hensley walked him twice and Heath Bell walked him in his fourth plate appearance. When Bonds was replaced by pinch-runner Fred Lewis in the eighth inning, he jogged across the field to the third-base dugout, removed his helmet and waved it to the fans. A large contingent of fans behind the dugout gave Bonds a standing ovation.

Commissioner Bud Selig, who has attended 10 of Bondss last 15 games, was shown on television standing up after the homer. But Selig kept his hands in his pockets and did not clap. A statement from Selig was distributed in the press box in the ninth inning.

No matter what anybody thinks of the controversy surrounding the event, Mr. Bondss achievement is noteworthy and remarkable, Selig said.

Selig added that he or a representative from the commissioners office would attend the next few games and make every attempt to observe the breaking of the record. Although Bonds said that he had not heard from Selig, he invited him to visit with him anytime.

Bonds, who congratulated the Yankees Alex Rodriguez for hitting his 500th homer on Saturday and who wished the Mets Tom Glavine success in pursuing his 300th victory on Sunday, thanked the San Diego fans and his teammates. Bonds will not be in the starting lineup on Sunday and will have a seven-game homestand in San Francisco beginning Monday to break the record.

Its like saying to my own family, Im coming home, Bonds said. Im coming home.

Four and a half hours before the game, a muscular, solitary figure stood in the batting cage at a mostly empty stadium and worked on refining his swing. It was Bonds.

A:
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 755th home run Saturday to match Hank Aaron’s career record.