It took MLB uploading the video of this home run to realize that I missed a lot of little things about the 2000 season. I went to about 50 games that year, and while it's great to watch the games from the left-field bleachers, you can miss the little things, like Barry Bonds hitting a home run and giving his bat to John McEnroe.
Is this customary? When one sports legend watches another one do something spectacular, is it normal for the active player to give him a piece of equipment? "Here's an unsolicited piece of equipment, person who was also a world-class athlete. I hope you wanted it." Seems odd that Bonds would think about it as he was rounding the bases, but, well, Bonds is odd.
Actually, it turns out that Bonds told McEnroe that he would give him the bat if he hit a home run.
Barry Bonds was in the on-deck circle when he spotted John McEnroe in a front-row seat. An avid tennis fan, Bonds teased McEnroe about his old habit of shattering rackets in anger.
"I told him, "After I hit this homer, I'll give you my bat,"' Bonds said.
Huh. Mostly, though, I wanted to find an excuse to post a Barry Bonds home run because I miss watching him. I don't miss the non-championship seasons, and I don't miss the PED-related drama, but I miss watching Bonds step into the box. He still has more than half of the Giants' splash hits at AT&T, and he's still 11 ahead of every other opposing player combined, you know. I'm not going to complain about what we do get to watch, of course, as this is a Golden Age of Giants baseball.
Still miss Barry, though.