Barry Bonds 756 Home Run Ball Sets New Record

The San Francisco Giants outfielder hit his 756th home run last night off a full-count pitch from Washington National’s pitcher Mike Bacsik, sending the ball sailing 435 feet over the right-center field wall and breaking the record that had been held by Hank Aaron for the last 33 years.

I’m excited,” Mike Bacsik said. “I dreamed about this when I was a kid. Unfortunately, when I dreamed about it, I was the one hitting the home run …” Ironically, Mike is the son of a former major leaguer who pitched to Hank Aaron when Hank had 755 home runs as well.

As soon as the ball left the bat, Barry knew he had done it. He threw his arms up in the air and watched it sail over the fence. Fans cheered and fireworks burst over the stadium as he circled the bases, where he was greeted by his teammates and his family, including his Godfather, Willie Mays.

The previous record of 755 home runs was set by Hank Aaron in 1974, who broke Babe Ruth’s 1935 record of 714. Hank, however, was not in attendance for Barry Bonds’ big night.

"It’s really not a big concern of mine," he said. "I don’t know why I should have to do anything. I might send him a telegram and that would be the extent of it."

You know you’re old if you still use the word telegram.

Although he wasn’t present, Hank Aaron did offer a taped message of congratulations that played on the stadium’s video board.

"I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds on becoming baseball's career home run leader. It is a great accomplishment which requires skill, longevity and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball, and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."

A phone call to Hammerin’ Hank’s home in Georgia shortly after Barry Bonds’ broke his record was answered by a woman, who told us that the baseball legend was asleep.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig also failed to make an appearance at the historic event, which makes us wonder if we should be reading anything into his absence. You see, Barry Bond’s record remains a mark of controversy. That mark is an asterisk.

The asterisk made its first appearance in major league baseball in 1961 when Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record of 60 games. Why? Because the Babe set his record in an era when a baseball season was only 154 games. However, Roger Maris set the record after baseball seasons had been extended, hitting home run number 61 on the last day of a 162 game season. It took 30 years before that asterisk was officially removed from the record.

Maris’s record stood for 32 years. Then, it was broken by both Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998. In 1999, they broke it again. In 2001, Sammy broke it for a third time … and so did Barry Bonds, setting a new single-season home run record of 73.

However, in 2005, the House Government Reform Committee called a congressional hearing on steroid use in Major League Baseball, during which all three players came under suspicion.

Senator Jim Bunning, who pitched for the big leagues in the ‘50s and ‘60s and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, remarked, "When I played with Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, and Ted Williams, they didn't put on 40 pounds, and they didn't hit more home runs in their late thirties as they did in their late twenties. What's happening in baseball is not natural, and it's not right."

Senator Jim went on to say that that the records of steroid abusers should be marked by an asterisk or thrown out entirely. "Wipe all their records out. Take them away. They don't deserve them."

Barry Bond’s personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was convicted of purchasing steroids from the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) and distributing them. He served three months in jail and has since returned to jail after refusing to testify against Barry before another grand jury.

Barry, on the other hand, denies having taken steroids. "This record is not tainted at all,” he said. “At all. Period. You guys can write anything you want.”

The book, Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports, points out that Barry Bonds produced stats in his late 30s -- an age when an athlete’s performance historically begins to decline -- that literally dwarfed those of his prime years.

From the age of 27 to 33, Barry's single season home record was 46, and his average was 37. From the age of 35 to 39, he averaged 52 home runs a year, including his record breaking 73 in 2001.

While you’re digesting all of that, let’s follow that historic ball.

Home run ball #756 sailed into the stands behind right-center field, glanced off Brian Herman’s finger, and was immediately swarmed by a legion of punching, biting, scratching, and eyeball gouging fans.

Matt Murphy, a 22 year old Mets fan from Queens who happened to be passing through San Francisco on his way to Australia and bought tickets to the game on a whim, came up with a bloodied face, torn clothes, and the ball. Security guards waded into the mess and escorted Matt to safety. The ball he was carrying, after all, is estimated to be worth anywhere from $400,000 to $500,000.

When asked if he had plans to acquire it, Barry Bonds said, “I don't want the ball. I never, ever believed a home run ball belonged to a player. If he caught it, it's his."

So what’s next for Barry? He says he plans to be back next year, which is probably a good thing if he wants to hold onto his new record.

Alex Rodriguez recently became the youngest player in baseball history to break 500 home runs at the age of 32 and is far ahead of the pace Barry set. He’s hit an average of 44 home runs a season for almost a decade, and if he can maintain for another seven years, he’ll break Barry Bonds’ record in 2014.

But like we said before, most players experience a significant drop in numbers once they hit their late 30s. It remains to be seen whether Alex will follow that trend or, like Barry Bonds, have some kind of super mid-life crisis that inspires him to outperform his youth.

Regardless of any controversy, there can be no doubt that Barry Bonds has made his mark on baseball history over the course of his 22-year career. What remains to be seen is if that mark is an asterisk or not.

Here are his career stats from 1986 to 2007, during which time he won the National League MVP title seven times.

Games: 2,958 (#11 all-time)
At Bats: 9,774 (#30 all-time)
Runs: 2,212 (#3 all-time)
Hits: 2,915 (#35 all-time)
Doubles: 599 (#14 all-time)
Triples: 77 (#294 all-time)
Home Runs: 756 (#1 all-time)
Runs Batted In: 1,981 (#5 all-time)
Stolen Bases: 514 (#32 all-time)
Base on Balls: 2,540 (#1 all-time)

What, you think we’d leave out the video? Not a chance. Here’s a clip of Barry Bonds cranking number 756 out of the park.