Barry Bonds

Teammate Shawon Dunston[?], speaking of Bonds in the June 5, 2000 issue of Sports Illustrated, said of Bonds: "He's not going to hit 70 homers, but he believes he can. That's frightening." The very next year, Bonds set the single season home run record, hitting 73 (breaking the record of 70, set by Mark McGwire in 1998). Some analysts consider Bonds's 2001 season to be among the greatest hitting seasons in baseball history; in addition to the home run record, Bonds also set single-season marks for bases on balls with 177 (breaking the previous record of 170, set by Babe Ruth in 1923) and slugging percentage with .863 (breaking the mark of .847 set by Ruth in 1920). Bonds also tied the National League record for most extra base hits in a season (107, also accomplished by Chuck Klein[?] in 1930). In 2002, Bonds also won the National League batting title with a .370 average and set a Major League record with a .582 on-base percentage. He became the oldest player to win a batting title for the first time in a career.

Bonds began his Major League career in 1986 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993.

Bonds was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player five times, in 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001 and 2002. No other player has won the award more than three times. He was second in the voting for that award twice: in 1991 to Terry Pendleton[?] of the Atlanta Braves, and in 2000 to teammate Jeff Kent[?]. During the 2002 season, Bonds became the fourth man to hit 600 home runs and he ended the season with 613, fourth on the all-time list. He also hit .370, to win his first batting title, and drew 198 walks, beating his own record -- feats which saw him unanimously voted the 2002 MVP.

Bonds has won eight Gold Glove awards as an outfielder, which is the third most ever for that position. He has been named to eleven National League All-Star teams: 1990, 1992-1998, 2000-2002.

His father, Bobby Bonds, was also a professional baseball player. Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays is his godfather. Another Baseball Hall of Famer, Reggie Jackson, is his cousin.

Bonds became the first ever 400-400 player (400 home runs and 400 stolen bases[?]) on August 23, 1998, when he hit home run number 400 off of Florida's Kirt Ojala. He stole his 400th base on July 26, 1997 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Candlestick Park. On June 23, 2003, Bonds recorded his 500th stolen base in the eleventh inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Pacific Bell Park[?]. Bonds later scored the winning run. By chance, his ailing father Bobby was in attendance that night. With 633 career home runs at the time, Bonds became the first 500-500 player in baseball history, already the only member of the 400-400 club.

External links

• Current stats from ESPN.com (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=3918)
• Career timeline from Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/bonds/timeline/)