Barry Bonds As a baseball player, his talent is undeniable. He holds a number of Major League Baseball’s records, including the most home runs in a single season, and has been compared to baseball greats like Ted Williams. However, he has also been involved in a number of scandals, including his alleged steroid use. Barry Bonds was born on July 25, 1964, in Riverside, California. The son of Bobby Bonds and godson of Willie Mays, Barry began exhibiting his talent while still in high school. Despite an offer from the majors upon graduation, Bonds decided to attend Arizona State University. He was named an All American athlete during his studies, and graduated with a degree in criminology in 1986.
The same year, he began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. For the next three years, he performed well, but many saw him as failing to live up to his potential. It was a different story in 1990. An MVP Award, a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger Award were all given to Barry for his impressive numbers that season, including thirty-three home runs. His remaining seasons with the Pirates were equally impressive, earning him another MVP Award. In 1993, Barry signed a six year contract worth over 40 million dollars with The San Francisco Giants. During his time with the Giants, Bonds broke several records, including being the first to hit forty home runs and steal forty bases in a single season. At #31 on The Sporting News List of 100 Greatest Baseball Players, he was the highest ranking current player on the list. He also received a nomination for the Major League Baseball All Century Team. The early 2000s were equally successful for Barry. The list ranking the greatest baseball players was released again in 2005, and Barry found himself at #6, behind only Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Hank Aaron. Injuries in 2005, and a less than stellar performance at the beginning of 2006, led to Barry tentatively announcing his retirement. The season picked up for Bonds, however, and he scored his 734th homerun, making him second only to Hank Aaron, whose career total is 755. After much speculation, it was revealed that Barry had signed a contract worth almost 16 million dollars, and would be returning to the Giants for another season. Fans are eager to see if he can break the all time homerun record in what might be his last season playing American’s favorite game.
No one can doubt Barry’s talent, but his practices off the field have earned him some notoriety. In 2003, he was at the center of an investigation claiming that Bonds’ trainer, Greg Anderson, had given him anabolic steroids, a prohibited, performance enhancing substance. A settlement was eventually reached, but allegations of perjury followed, although Barry was never formally charged. During his 2006 season, he failed a drug test for amphetamines. Several books exploring Bonds’ alleged drug use were released following the allegations, presenting Barry in a negative light. These scandals have tainted both his career and the public’s opinion. Many feel that his impressive performance can’t be compared to those of other baseball greats because their performance did not involve drug use. Currently, Bonds is married to Liz Watson Bonds. Since their wedding in 1998, Liz has given birth to daughter Aisha Lynn. He also has a son and daughter from a former marriage to Susann Margreth Branco. The divorce was messy, with Susann alleging Barry was abusive, and the settlement case eventually went to the Supreme Court of California. Rumors about Barry’s hot temper have also added to the negative attention surrounding him in recent years. YUDDY |
