Global InformationList of milestone home runs by Barry Bonds information
Barry Bonds hit numerous milestone home runs during his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. Bonds ranks among the greatest baseball players of all time and was for much of his career considered a five-tool player.[1][2] Bonds' ascension towards the top of experts' lists of greatest players was propelled by highly productive years in which he set many records. By 1998, he was considered among the 50 greatest players of all time by The Sporting News,[3] and after winning the National League's Most Valuable Player Award four consecutive times from 2001–2004, he jumped into the top 10 in the 2005 list.[4] He now holds numerous Major League Baseball records for home runs, bases on balls, intentional bases on balls, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, as well as a record seven MVP awards.[5]
In baseball, the home run is one of the most popular aspects of the game. Thus, the career record for home runs is among the most important and respected records in baseball. The road to this record has been closely followed and each additional home run Bonds hits extends the current record further. On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds became the major leagues' career home run champion by hitting his 756th career home run, which surpassed Hank Aaron's total.[6]
Quite often milestone home runs such as round hundred and career records are considered breaking news,[7][8] and sports news services give coverage to countdowns on impending milestone home runs. Several of Bonds' milestone home runs were given dedicated coverage on ESPN BottomLine, with Chasing Ruth and Chasing Aaron coverage being quite extensive for the few seasons preceding the breaking of the record. Sports collectible dealers and buyers pay exorbitant sums for paraphernalia associated with such milestones. The Baseball Hall of Fame covets such paraphernalia for display.[9] In fact, players are even sensitive to the way in which their paraphernalia is displayed.[10] A baseball that was hit for a milestone causes such a mêlée and such hysteria that special balls have to be used to stop counterfeiting,[11] and police escorts are necessary for those who catch such balls.[12]
Because of Bonds' versatility even some of his early milestones were quite significant. Barry Bonds' milestone home runs have received extensive coverage since his 300th made him the fourth member of the 300–300 club which also included his godfather Willie Mays and father Bobby Bonds.[13] His 400th home run also received national coverage,[14] and his 400–400 feat was a motivating goal and is widely cited as a testament to his greatness.[15][16][17] His 500th home run was part of a memorable 2001 Major League Baseball season of milestones in which he hit a record 73 home runs in a single season and surpassed many baseball legends.[18][19] His 554th home run and 60th of the season sold for US$5000.[20] His 567th and 73rd of the season sold for $500,000, which was far less than the $3 million for which Mark McGwire's 70th had been sold three years earlier.[21] Bonds' 660th home run was more celebrated than his 661st because it put him in the same company as his own godfather on the all-time list.[22] Bonds' 600th and 700th home runs both were widely followed and reported in the media because they placed him such elite company.[23][24] Bonds' 756th home run sold for $752,467 (including a 20% commission).[21] Below is a list of Barry Bonds' milestone home runs.[25]
- ^ Bonavita, Mark (March 31, 1999). "Baseball's five tools". Sporting News. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ Acee, Kevin (June 2001). "Majors' Five-Tool Players Who Are They? – skills of baseball players". Baseball Digest. FindArticles. Archived from the original on November 15, 2007.
- ^ "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players by The Sporting News (1998)". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ Smith, Rod, Baseball's 100 Greatest Players: Second Edition, Sporting News, ISBN 0-89204-800-X, 2005.
- ^ "Player File: Barry Bonds 25 – LF". MLB.com. 2007. Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Bonds turns page to new era with home run No. 756". ESPN. August 7, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
- ^ McLarty, Butch (August 8, 2007). "Giants' Slugger Barry Bonds smacks Home Run Number 756 to break Hank Aaron's record". altlondon.org. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ Curry, Jack (August 8, 2007). "Bonds Hits No. 756 to Break Aaron's Record". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ "Helmet, other gear from homers 755, 756 on display at Hall". ESPN. August 10, 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Mike (November 1, 2007). "Bonds: Asterisk would force boycott of Hall of Fame". USA Today. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ Schulman, Henry (July 20, 2007). "HAMMER TIME: Bonds homers twice – just two behind Aaron". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Queens man in San Francisco for one day catches famous ball". ESPN. August 9, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2007.
- ^ "BASEBALL;Bonds Joins 300–300 Club Before Ejection". The New York Times. April 28, 1996. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Bonds Becomes 1st 400–400 Man". The Washington Post. August 24, 1998. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ Pearlman, Jeff (March 16, 2006). "For Bonds, great wasn't good enough". ESPN. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Giants Timeline – 1996: Bonds bashes, runs into history". giants.mlb.com. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ Smith, Claire (May 17, 1996). "BASEBALL;Bonds Loses Rage, but Not the Swing". The New York Times. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Barry Bonds' Incredible Season". San Francisco Chronicle. October 8, 2001. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ "Bonds hits 71st, 72nd homers as Giants get eliminated". Sports Illustrated. October 5, 2001. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
- ^ Bulwa, Demian and Peter Fimrite (July 29, 2007). "Ballhawks circle for historic Bonds home run balls". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ a b Passan, Jeff (September 15, 2007). "Home run high". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BhssisoFwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Bonds joins Aaron, Mays, Ruth in 600-homer club". Sports Illustrated. August 10, 2002. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ "Bonds Joins 700 Home Run Club". CBS News. September 18, 2004. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ "Barry Bonds Home Run Log (Batting)". baseball-reference.com. October 28, 2007. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2007.