Here's a tale of two players, Pedro Alvarez and Ernie Bonham.

The former is delaying an opportunity to become a member of the current Pittsburgh Pirates. The latter is remotely connected to a recent addition to the Bucs.

Each well represents his era of professional baseball.

Third baseman Alvarez, the Pirates' No. 1 selection and second overall pick in June's amateur draft, refuses to report to the Pirates unless they increase their $6 million bonus offer to him.

Alvarez is just a kid. His agent, Scott Boras, is trying to bully the Pirates on his behalf.

The Pirates claim to have a delivered a contract agreement with Alvarez to the commissioner's office before the midnight signing deadline Aug. 15. Boras says no.

Because of this squabble, Alvarez has been placed on MLB's restricted list, meaning he can't sign a contract or play for any other club until this issue is resolved.

Most Pirates fans know who Pedro Alvarez is by now.

Few have any clue who Ernie Bonham is.

Before Jeff Karstens — a right-handed pitcher acquired from the Yankees in the Xavier Nady trade — pitched scoreless ball in each of his first two starts with the Pirates, only one other pitcher since 1900 had turned that trick for Pittsburgh.

You guessed it. Ernie Bonham.

Like Karstens, Bonham was acquired from the Yankees, the trade commencing in 1947. While with New York, Bonham, affectionately known as Tiny, was a key member of the Yankees' starting rotation in pennant-winning years of 1941 through 1943.

He was 21-5 with a 2.27 earned run average and a league-leading 22 complete games and six shutouts in 1942.

Entire pitching staffs don't throw 22 complete games these days.

Bonham was 15-8 with a 2.29 ERAin 1943. He was 103-72 in his 10-year major league career.

He lasted three years with the Pirates, his best season being 1947, when he was 11-8 with a 3.85 ERAand three saves on a team that finished 62-92.

Bonham's last year with Pittsburgh was 1949. He was 7-4 with a 4.25 ERA, winning his last start Aug. 27 of that year against the Phillies. He died of appendicitis two weeks later at age 36.

Bonham barely made $6,000 a season, let alone getting the chance to turn away a $6 million signing bonus. He probably never heard of an agent, either.

He pitched the final five years of his career with chronic back problems. He certainly wasn't holding on to his career for the money. No doubt, he worked another job during the offseason.

Bonham played pro baseball when it was a game, not a business.

He died before ever getting a chance to retire.

Alvarez will retire as a rich man — maybe before the age of 36 — if he ever signs.

Thanks to Jeff Karstens, we got to meet Ernie Bonham, albeit years after his death.

Thank goodness, Ernie Bonham never met Scott Boras.

Bonham — and baseball — did fine without him.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.