Barry Bonds Bio (Biography)
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Biography
Barry Bonds is an American baseball player holding numerous Major League Baseball records. While he has had a lengthy and distinguished major league career and is considered among baseball's greatest hitters, recent years have seen him under investigation for the use of steroids.
Barry Bonds was born in Riverside California on July 24, 1964. He showed promise in baseball, basketball and football while in high school in San Mateo. He starred on the varsity team for Loyola High School for his sophomore, junior and senior years. Despite being drafted straight out of high school by the San Francisco Giants, Barry Bonds went to Arizona State University for four years, playing baseball there until he graduated with a criminology degree. After graduation he was drafted into the Pittsburgh Pirates to join the major league, finishing sixth for Rookie of the Year. For the next couple years he was often criticized for not living up to expectations, but his stats continued to improve. In 1988 he hit 24 home runs. In 1990 he won the Most Valuable Player award hitting 33 home runs. In this and the next year he would win the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger awards. He also won another MVP award.
Barry Bonds became a free agent in 1993, signing a 6 year contract with the Giants for $43.75 million, a record at the time. Three years later he hit 40 home runs and stole 40 bases in one season, a new record for a National League player. During this period he also became one of the few players to have a record of three hundred plus home runs and stolen bases, a record which his father Bobby Bonds had also achieved. Barry Bonds continued to grow in talent - in 2001 he made the major league record with 73 home runs over the season. In 2002 he reached a record of six hundred home runs. Finally in 2006, Barry Bonds passed the National League career home run record at 734 home runs. As of early 2007, Barry Bonds continues to play for the Giants, despite having recently spoken about possibly retiring due the recent controversy over his contested steroid use.
Barry Bonds was born in Riverside California on July 24, 1964. He showed promise in baseball, basketball and football while in high school in San Mateo. He starred on the varsity team for Loyola High School for his sophomore, junior and senior years. Despite being drafted straight out of high school by the San Francisco Giants, Barry Bonds went to Arizona State University for four years, playing baseball there until he graduated with a criminology degree. After graduation he was drafted into the Pittsburgh Pirates to join the major league, finishing sixth for Rookie of the Year. For the next couple years he was often criticized for not living up to expectations, but his stats continued to improve. In 1988 he hit 24 home runs. In 1990 he won the Most Valuable Player award hitting 33 home runs. In this and the next year he would win the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger awards. He also won another MVP award.
Barry Bonds became a free agent in 1993, signing a 6 year contract with the Giants for $43.75 million, a record at the time. Three years later he hit 40 home runs and stole 40 bases in one season, a new record for a National League player. During this period he also became one of the few players to have a record of three hundred plus home runs and stolen bases, a record which his father Bobby Bonds had also achieved. Barry Bonds continued to grow in talent - in 2001 he made the major league record with 73 home runs over the season. In 2002 he reached a record of six hundred home runs. Finally in 2006, Barry Bonds passed the National League career home run record at 734 home runs. As of early 2007, Barry Bonds continues to play for the Giants, despite having recently spoken about possibly retiring due the recent controversy over his contested steroid use.