Barry Bonds

I can't tell you when I started following the Giants.  I can't tell you the the team roster in 1998, 1999, nor in 2000.  I can't say I know much about the New York Giants.  What I can tell you is that I broke my twin size Scandinavian Design bed frame when jumping up and down to a radio call for a Barry Bonds home run.

I was probably around 11, 12, or maybe 13 then.  I don't know why I started listening.  I was the last child in a single mother household.  No one to show me the ropes of a complex sport; nonetheless, baseball became my sport.  And, what I can tell you is that Barry Bonds gave me some of the most joyous moments of my child years, teenage years, and adult life.

My brother and I shared a bedroom growing up and some of the fondest times were huddling around our Sony radio.  We had a bamboo stick rigged into the volume + hole because the plastic button had fallen off.  For each Barry Bonds at bat we would click that bamboo stick.  Volume 5, dropped down on our knees, we would listen, anticipate, hope, and believe.

Swing and there's a high drive, deep!  Out of here!  I was hooked.

I never had cable so on the rare occasions of network broadcasts, I would watch with complete devotion.  I learned the game.  I watched the footwork of the infielders, the routes of the outfielders, the sequences of the pitcher.  I remember screaming at the television scream for Felix Rodriguez to throw the high cheddar, Rob Nen to drop the split, Kirk Rueter to get the double play.  I remember watching J.T. Snow adjust to cut off the line, Aurilia snarling after blasting a double when squaring up for a bunt one pitch prior, Benito Santiago throwing out runners from the knees, Vizquel fielding completing the double play from his ass.  I was there for Rob Nen's 300th save, I watched him blow his should out for the World Series.  I saw Jason Schmidt pitch countless scoreless innings, Woody raking through innings like a magician, Livo hitting and fielding with the best of them, Jerome Williams throwing his pookah shells into the stand, Noah Lowry showing off his change-up,  And yes, I do recall the likes of Ray Durharm, Marcus Grissum, David Bell, Alfonzo whatever he dropped a pop-out, Kenny Lofton, etc.,.  Dave Roberts, AJ Pryzinksy, etc.,. don't count.

The entire previous paragraph plus the countless memories of Giants great moments were made possible by the Giants' greatest: Barry Bonds.

How do you explain Barry Bonds to the countless 2010 fans?  How do you explain Bonds to the "he's a cheater" crowd?  For what it's worth, I witnessed the greatest hitter and one of the top fielders and base stealers of all-time.  There was a time when Eric Gagne was unhittable, Barry nailed him.  There was a time when walking a batter with the bases loaded was a bad thing - Barry was given an IBB.  There was a time when Ray King was a lefty specialist - Barry placed a ball in McCovey Cove.  There was a time when Barry squeaked an opposite field, broken bat home run pass the 410 ft marker at Pac Bell.  There was a time when they used to reset the Splash Ball counter.  There was a time when the best in baseball respected the greatest in baseball.

Barry Bonds was the best.  Is he my friend, no.  If I met him in public would he be my friend, who knows.  What I do know is that Barry Bonds gave me the Giants.  Gave me the 2001 WS run and gave the 2010 WS Championship.  With that I leave you the MLB profile of Barry Bonds:

Awards and Honors