Barry Bonds Baseball
The success of Barry Bonds’ baseball career was really just the beginning of a story that may eventually overshadow his achievements. As an outfielder, Bonds racked up four MVP awards, each one of them in consecutive years. He was a player in the 2007 World Series, and has become one of the most well known baseball players of his time. In 2006, he was busy slugging homeruns and passed Ruth and Aaron to land in first place for the most homers of any ball player.
Unfortunately, it seems as if Bonds may have had help achieving this feat and there could be an asterisk next to this record. Rumors of steroid use swirled around Bonds and he was not a fan favorite, to put it mildly. Bonds didn’t seem to care much for the fans either and Bonds managed to alienate fans and sportswriters alike. Bonds still holds the home run record at 762, as well as the record for the most home runs in a single season (73). While an accomplished player, Binds managed to burn a lot of bridges and no team in the Major Leagues would sign him on for the 2008 season.
With a jet setting career and a financial future already assured, this godson of the great Willie Mays, came under significant scrutiny regarding the well-publicized Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative case, and was charged and indicted with perjury. He had apparently lied about steroid use when he was under oath and the courts held him accountable for his actions.
This has cast a pall over his entire career. Fans questioned the validity of his MVP awards and his achievements within the game - and the league itself has also expressed concern. Achievements which came through the use of steroids, the reasoning goes, are not to be valued as highly as those accomplished solely through an athlete’s natural faculties.
The shadow has fallen upon his entire career, a career which began in high school. Binds was approached by the Giants even as he was still attending high school. Although he did not sign with the Giants at this time, he continued playing in college and scored seven consecutive hits in the College World Series. He was also named the All American selection of the year by Sporting News.
In March 2009, Bonds will appear in court to face the obstruction of justice charges related to the BALCO investigation. Bonds still insists that he never took steroids knowingly - but this is a matter which has yet to be resolved in court and is sure to be closely followed by baseball fans.
Off the diamond, Binds has become involved with working with sick and terminally ill children. Bonds has an honorary chair with the Macy’s Tree Lighting Committee, which fundraises for the children’s hospice UCSF Children’s Hospital Palliative Care Program.
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