Bonds hits 756th home run to set MLB record

MarketWatch ^ | Aug 8, 2007 | staff

[Nonstatist]

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Barry Bonds became the most prolific home-run hitter in Major League Baseball history Tuesday night, slugging his 756th in front of more than 43,052 hometown fans to pass Henry Aaron. Bonds' record-setting homer came in the fourth inning to give the Giants a 5-4 lead over the Washington Nationals. Bonds hit a 3-2 pitch from Washington's Mike Bacsik deep to center field. The game was delayed by a standing ovation for Bonds, whose late father Bobby was a Giants player, coach and front-office employee.... Bonds also holds the season record for home runs with 73 in 2001.

The 43-year-old Bonds, who has spent 21 years in the majors, had tied Aaron at 755 on Saturday in the Giants' 3-2 loss in San Diego. Aaron's record had stood since 1976, when he retired after 22 years in the majors.

[FlingWingFlyer]

A role model for the kiddies to teach them the wonders of drugs. See kids! Pop those steroids and you too can be a “hero.”

[Ptarmigan]

Who cares about Barry Bonds. Hank Aaron is the Real Home Run King.

[mukraker]

I still remember when I was a kid and Mr. Henry Aaron broke the home run record set years earlier by Babe Ruth. It was a memorable time. Baseball was still a sport. It was the national pasttime.

It's just a business today. It's about as exciting as hearing a certain stock that I don't own just set a new record.

I agree. Yawn.

[SoldierDad]

I’m with you. Who can say for sure that Hank Aaron didn’t use some performance enhancing substance back in his days (when they didn’t even think about testing, let alone do testing - of which Barry has never failed a single one). He’s got the record without the asterisk attached IHMO.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I'm not celebrating.

Not because he used steroids, but because he's a jerk.

[Junior_G]

Openly admitted to sharpening his cleats to hurt whoever might get in his way.

That's a laughable defense of Bonds. I don't think anyone would be nearly as upset if Bonds had "sharp cleats".

[TBP]

Good for Barry. Cheers to him.

Isn’t it interesting that he hit the record-breaker off a pitcher who, like Bonds, is also the son of a major leaguer?

[commish]

How many home runs would Bonds have on his record had he not decided to “cheat”?

Probably around 600-650 unless injuries did him in early.

That is the sad thing about this whole fiasco - Bonds was already a first ballot hall of Fame lock before his Enormous Ego couldn't stand the adoration that McGwire and Sosa were getting.

[Crazieman]

[sbMKE]

A lot of the guys in Aaron’s era were heavily into amphetamines - guys brought back “robins eggs” from WWII and usage became very rampant for decades. Clubhouse coffee was spiked, pills were popped; it was everywhere.

[dhs12345]

Guess I am naive to think that people don’t cheat. Don’t cheat on college exams, either. But it probably happens all of the time.

Let them all juice themselves and make it legal. I won’t watch the games or support the team. Why should I? They are all “enhanced.” Might as well get boob jobs, too.

BTW, don’t want to hear about the poor athlete to took steroids and is now dying of cancer or some other nasty disease.

[doc1019]

When he can do it without drugs … let me know and I will celebrate. As far as I know Hank didn’t need drugs, he did it on ability.

[Mr. Mojo]

Who ever caught the ball sure will be a Rich person

No one actually caught it, but there sure was a mad (and violent) scramble for the thing. No doubt some injuries in that dog pile.

[beethovenfan]

Better living through chemistry!

[StoneWall Brigade]

I’d say so

[over3Owithabrain]

Dude your arguments are thin and tired. One - the major league fastball has hardly changed over the last 60 years at least. In Aaron's day guys like Bob Gibson were as good or better than anyone out there now. Bob Feller in the 1940s was said to throw 100. Heard of Nolan Ryan?

As far as roids the worst part is not the unfair advantage so much as they are horrible, even fatal, for health. So if you let some guys use them to get an obvious advantage, you are basically forcing guys who don't want to shrink their testicles or worse, get brain cancer, to "keep up". Hence the unfairness - Ruin your body like these steroid freaks or get your a** kicked on the field and lose you job. Plus the game is ruined by one dimensionsal, misshapen, gimpy players out there. More so baseball than any other sport really.

Ty Cobb sharpened his cleats, trash talked, as was an all around a-hole. But with his natural talent and grit was also one of the greatest players EVER. BTW so was Bonds pre-cheat. Only an obsession to be glorified for the HR and his advancing age and declining overall skills led him to this point.

[sofaman]

you’re night owl! 12:25 in your world....

[Junior_G]

A lot of the guys in Aaron’s era were heavily into amphetamines - guys brought back “robins eggs” from WWII and usage became very rampant for decades. Clubhouse coffee was spiked, pills were popped; it was everywhere.

It's amazing how many steroids apologists are on this forum.

[StoneWall Brigade]

Yeah

[FlingWingFlyer]

A lot of the guys in Aaron’s era were heavily into amphetamines - guys brought back “robins eggs” from WWII and usage became very rampant for decades. Clubhouse coffee was spiked, pills were popped; it was everywhere.

Are you saying Hank was a junkie? Cool! I love the hell out of revisionist history! History the way WE want it to be. That's what I always say.