Barry Bonds 756 - I Was There

Yep I got lucky. My company had its annual Summer event last night and this year we decided on a Giants game at AT&T Park – the most beautiful baseball park in the league, hands down. Of course when our block of $18 left field bleacher seats was bought, no one had any idea the controversial Barry Bonds would be close to breaking Hank Aaron’s 30 year record for most career home runs hit.

It dawned on me last weekend when I was getting ready for the trip that we might actually be at THE game. I watched Monday’s game in my hotel praying he would NOT hit the thing out and he didn’t – he was cold on Monday.

But last night he wasn’t. Bonds’ first at bat was a double, followed by him scoring the first run of the game. Second at bat, a single. Third at bat, oh let’s see – home run number 756.

It was unreal. The place went mad, there were more fireworks than an outdoor KISS concert and the game stopped for 10 minutes while Hank Aaron’s pre-recorded congratulation played on the big screen, Bonds hugged his family and his godfather, Willie Mays, and thanked everyone including the fans and his late father.

Lots has been said about Bonds – and he is a total asshole. However, you can’t take away the fact that he has now hit more home runs that anyone else in the history of baseball. Many of those before his reported steroid use and quite a few since he’s been under the microscope, which includes testing for ‘performance enhancers.’ Tests in which he’s been clean.

Whatever the case, it was a piece of history last night and I was very lucky to be there. I will indeed remember it forever!