Bobby Bonds
Encyclopedia
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American
right fielder
in Major League Baseball
from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants
. Noted for his outstanding combination of power hitting and speed, he was the first player to have more than two seasons of 30 home run
s and 30 stolen base
s, doing so a record five times (the record was matched only by his son Barry
), and was the first to accomplish the feat in both major leagues; he became the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays
. Together with Barry, he is part of baseball's most accomplished father-son combination, holding the record for combined home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=111188. A dangerous leadoff hitter, he also set major league records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a career (35) and a season (11, in ); both records have since been broken. He batted and threw right-handed. Bobby Bonds is one of the most popular players in franchise history.
, Bonds played varsity high school baseball at Riverside Polytechnic High School
and signed with the Giants in . His sister Rosie
was a 1964 Olympic hurdler, and his brother Robert won two gold medals in the hurdles at the high school track and field state finals in 1960, and was an NFL Draft
pick in 1965. In 1964 he was a High School All-America
n in track & field
, while also being named Southern California High School Athlete of the Year. Playing in the Giants' minor league system, he was Most Valuable Player of the class-A Western Carolina League.
He hit a grand slam
in his first major league game, June 25, , being the second of six players in major league history to do it (joining Bill Duggleby
, , Jeremy Hermida
, , Kevin Kouzmanoff
, , Daniel Nava
, , and Brandon Crawford
, 2011. Bonds was named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Bonds was remarkable during his era for his combination of power and speed, but also for his propensity to strike out
. In his first full season in , he set a major league record with 187 strikeouts, while also leading the NL in runs
. He broke his own strikeout record a year later with 189. That record lasted until , when Adam Dunn
broke it by striking out 195 times. (This dubious mark now belongs to Mark Reynolds
, with 223 in ; Bonds' total currently ranks tenth on the all-time single-season strikeout list.) When Bonds retired, he ranked third in career strikeouts with 1,757, behind Willie Stargell
's 1,912 and Reggie Jackson
's 1,810. Bobby Bonds hit 39 home runs and had 43 stolen bases in 1973 - the highest level of home runs and stolen bases (39+ of each) until José Canseco
of the Oakland Athletics in 1988. Barry and Bobby had 1094 combined home runs through 2007 - a record for a father-son combination. He was a three-time Gold Glove Award
winner (1971, 1973–74), and a three-time All-Star
(1971, 1973 & 1975, winning the All-Star MVP award in 1973).
In 1970, he stole a career-high 48 bases, the highest total by a Giant since Frankie Frisch
in . Bonds was second in the NL with 134 runs and was fourth in doubles (with 36) and total bases (with 334). He also hit ten triples, which was 3rd in the league and his 48 stolen bases was 3rd in the league.
In 1971, he finished fourth in the NL in runs batted in
and second in runs, leading the Giants with a .288 average as they won the NL West. A bruised rib cage limited his play in the 1971 NLCS
, his only postseason appearance; he was a late-inning replacement for rookie Dave Kingman
in Game 1, and did not play in Game 2 before starting the final two games, batting 2-for-8 in the series. That season, he placed fourth in the NL MVP award
voting. In 1972 Bonds scored 118 runs, which was second in the NL (the third straight season he was second in runs scored) and his 26 home runs was ninth in the circuit while his 44 stolen bases was 4th in the league. In 1973, he placed third in the MVP voting after hitting a career-high 39 home runs, 11 of them to start a game, and leading the league in runs a second time. Bonds was named the NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1973 and was also named an outfielder on TSNs American League
All-Star Team in 1977.
In , he broke Eddie Yost
's career record of 28 leadoff home runs; his eventual record of 35 stood until Rickey Henderson
broke it in , and his NL record of 30 was broken by Craig Biggio
in . His single-season mark of 11 was broken by Brady Anderson
in . His 32 home runs was fourth in the AL and his 30 stolen bases were 8th in the league.
After being traded to the New York Yankees
after the 1974 season, Bonds became one of the sport's most-traveled figures, playing for seven more teams over seven seasons, with more than one season for only the California Angels
(1976–77); in 1977 he tied the Angels club record for home runs in a season (37). In addition to the Yankees (1975), he also played for the Chicago White Sox
(1978), Texas Rangers
(1978), Cleveland Indians
(1979), St. Louis Cardinals
(1980), and Chicago Cubs
(1981).
Bonds' 461 career stolen bases ranked 12th in major league history upon his retirement. He was hitting instructor for the Indians from 1984–87, and rejoined the Giants as a coach in 1993 when his son Barry signed with the team as a free agent. As a player, coach, scout and front-office employee, he was with the Giants franchise for 23 seasons. Barry Bonds is the only other player in major league history to hit 300 home runs and steal 400 bases, and also the only other player to have five 30-30 seasons.
Eleven times Bonds was in his league's top 10 in stolen bases, with eight of those season in the top six. Seven times he was among the league top ten home run hitters and nine time he was among the top ten in runs scored, leading the NL in 1971 and 1973. Eight times he was in the top ten in total bases, leading the NL in 1973.
, Rick Bonds, and Bobby Bonds, Jr., who played eleven years of pro ball but never made the majors.
Bonds died of complications from lung cancer
and a brain tumor
at age 57 in San Carlos, California
. He is interred at Skylawn Memorial Park
in San Mateo, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Noted for his outstanding combination of power hitting and speed, he was the first player to have more than two seasons of 30 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 30 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, doing so a record five times (the record was matched only by his son Barry
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
), and was the first to accomplish the feat in both major leagues; he became the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
. Together with Barry, he is part of baseball's most accomplished father-son combination, holding the record for combined home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=111188. A dangerous leadoff hitter, he also set major league records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a career (35) and a season (11, in ); both records have since been broken. He batted and threw right-handed. Bobby Bonds is one of the most popular players in franchise history.
Baseball career
Born in Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, Bonds played varsity high school baseball at Riverside Polytechnic High School
Riverside Polytechnic High School
Riverside Polytechnic High School is a four-year public high school in Riverside, California, United States, and part of the Riverside Unified School District...
and signed with the Giants in . His sister Rosie
Rosie Bonds
Rosie Bonds Kreidler competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics for the United States in the Women's 80 metre hurdles. She finished in 1st place in the fourth heat of the first round , in 4th place in the first semifinal , and in 8th place in the final race...
was a 1964 Olympic hurdler, and his brother Robert won two gold medals in the hurdles at the high school track and field state finals in 1960, and was an NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
pick in 1965. In 1964 he was a High School All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n in track & field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, while also being named Southern California High School Athlete of the Year. Playing in the Giants' minor league system, he was Most Valuable Player of the class-A Western Carolina League.
He hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in his first major league game, June 25, , being the second of six players in major league history to do it (joining Bill Duggleby
Bill Duggleby
William James Duggleby , nicknamed "Frosty Bill," was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. He played from 1898 to 1907. He also played two games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1902 and nine games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1907...
, , Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Ryan Hermida is an outfielder in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.-Early career:...
, , Kevin Kouzmanoff
Kevin Kouzmanoff
Kevin Kouzmanoff is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent.Kouzmanoff had trouble with various sports in high school. He got special help for batting practice, just to learn how to swing a bat for three years, implementing a swing...
, , Daniel Nava
Daniel Nava
Daniel James Nava is a professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization. He plays for the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League....
, , and Brandon Crawford
Brandon Crawford
Brandon Michael Crawford is an American professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball . The shortstop was the sixth player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his first Major League game...
, 2011. Bonds was named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Bonds was remarkable during his era for his combination of power and speed, but also for his propensity to strike out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
. In his first full season in , he set a major league record with 187 strikeouts, while also leading the NL in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. He broke his own strikeout record a year later with 189. That record lasted until , when Adam Dunn
Adam Dunn
Adam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed....
broke it by striking out 195 times. (This dubious mark now belongs to Mark Reynolds
Mark Reynolds (baseball)
Mark Andrew Reynolds is a third baseman/first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Baltimore Orioles. He is known both for his power-hitting abilities and for his record-breaking strike out totals...
, with 223 in ; Bonds' total currently ranks tenth on the all-time single-season strikeout list.) When Bonds retired, he ranked third in career strikeouts with 1,757, behind Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
's 1,912 and Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
's 1,810. Bobby Bonds hit 39 home runs and had 43 stolen bases in 1973 - the highest level of home runs and stolen bases (39+ of each) until José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
of the Oakland Athletics in 1988. Barry and Bobby had 1094 combined home runs through 2007 - a record for a father-son combination. He was a three-time Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
winner (1971, 1973–74), and a three-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1971, 1973 & 1975, winning the All-Star MVP award in 1973).
In 1970, he stole a career-high 48 bases, the highest total by a Giant since Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
in . Bonds was second in the NL with 134 runs and was fourth in doubles (with 36) and total bases (with 334). He also hit ten triples, which was 3rd in the league and his 48 stolen bases was 3rd in the league.
In 1971, he finished fourth in the NL in runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and second in runs, leading the Giants with a .288 average as they won the NL West. A bruised rib cage limited his play in the 1971 NLCS
1971 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 2, 1971 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaWith aces Gaylord Perry and Steve Blass taking the mound for their respective teams, Game 1 looked to be a pitchers duel. It sort of was for four innings; the Pirates struck for two in the top of the third when Dave...
, his only postseason appearance; he was a late-inning replacement for rookie Dave Kingman
Dave Kingman
David Arthur Kingman , nicknamed "Kong" and "Sky King", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter. The towering 6' 6" Kingman was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1970s and 1980s...
in Game 1, and did not play in Game 2 before starting the final two games, batting 2-for-8 in the series. That season, he placed fourth in the NL MVP award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting. In 1972 Bonds scored 118 runs, which was second in the NL (the third straight season he was second in runs scored) and his 26 home runs was ninth in the circuit while his 44 stolen bases was 4th in the league. In 1973, he placed third in the MVP voting after hitting a career-high 39 home runs, 11 of them to start a game, and leading the league in runs a second time. Bonds was named the NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1973 and was also named an outfielder on TSNs American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
All-Star Team in 1977.
In , he broke Eddie Yost
Eddie Yost
Edward Frederick Joseph Yost is a former professional baseball player and coach. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a third baseman for the Washington Senators, before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Angels. Yost batted and threw right-handed...
's career record of 28 leadoff home runs; his eventual record of 35 stood until Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
broke it in , and his NL record of 30 was broken by Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...
in . His single-season mark of 11 was broken by Brady Anderson
Brady Anderson
Brady Kevin Anderson is an American former outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball...
in . His 32 home runs was fourth in the AL and his 30 stolen bases were 8th in the league.
After being traded to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
after the 1974 season, Bonds became one of the sport's most-traveled figures, playing for seven more teams over seven seasons, with more than one season for only the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1976–77); in 1977 he tied the Angels club record for home runs in a season (37). In addition to the Yankees (1975), he also played for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1978), Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1978), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1979), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1980), and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1981).
Bonds' 461 career stolen bases ranked 12th in major league history upon his retirement. He was hitting instructor for the Indians from 1984–87, and rejoined the Giants as a coach in 1993 when his son Barry signed with the team as a free agent. As a player, coach, scout and front-office employee, he was with the Giants franchise for 23 seasons. Barry Bonds is the only other player in major league history to hit 300 home runs and steal 400 bases, and also the only other player to have five 30-30 seasons.
Eleven times Bonds was in his league's top 10 in stolen bases, with eight of those season in the top six. Seven times he was among the league top ten home run hitters and nine time he was among the top ten in runs scored, leading the NL in 1971 and 1973. Eight times he was in the top ten in total bases, leading the NL in 1973.
Personal life
On May 3, 1963, he married the former Patricia Howard. They have three children, Barry BondsBarry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
, Rick Bonds, and Bobby Bonds, Jr., who played eleven years of pro ball but never made the majors.
Bonds died of complications from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
and a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
at age 57 in San Carlos, California
San Carlos, California
San Carlos is a city in San Mateo County, California, USA on the San Francisco Peninsula, about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. It is an affluent small residential suburb located between Belmont to the north and Redwood City to the south. San Carlos' ZIP code is 94070, and it is within...
. He is interred at Skylawn Memorial Park
Skylawn Memorial Park (San Mateo, California)
Skylawn Memorial Park is a cemetery, mausoleum, crematorium, columbarium and funeral home complex in San Mateo, California, directly accessible from State Route 92. Interment records are at 1,308...
in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- 30-30 club30-30 clubThe 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
External links
- Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame - Player Profile