Athletes - Bobby Bonds

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	Athletes - Bobby Bonds

Bobby Lee Bonds (March 15, 1946 – August 23, 2003) was a Major League Baseball right fielder from 1968 to 1981. He was the father of Barry Bonds. He died of complications from lung cancer and a brain tumor.

Over a 14-season career, Bonds played for eight different teams, playing more than one season for only two teams, the San Francisco Giants for seven seasons and the California Angels in two seasons (with Yankees, White Sox, Rangers, Indians, and Cardinals, one each). He batted and threw right-handed.

Bonds was remarkable during his era for his combination of power and speed, but also for his propensity to strike out. He was a five-time member of the 30-30 club (tying him w/ son Barry for the record), a three-time Gold Glove Award winner (1971, 1973-74), and a three-time All-Star (1971, 1973 & 1975, winning the All Star Game MVP award in 1973). In 1973, he placed third in the National League MVP award voting. In 1971, he placed fourth.

Bobby was named the NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1973 and was also named an Outfielder on the NL All-Star Team in 1973 and the AL All-Star Team in 1977 by The Sporting News. In 1970 he set a Major League record with 187 strikeouts, and broke his own record a year later with 189. That record lasted until 2004, when Adam Dunn broke it by striking out 195 times.

When Bonds retired, he was third in lifetime strikeouts with 1,757, behind Willie Stargell's 1,912 and Reggie Jackson's 1,810. Bonds was the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to surpass both 300 home runs and 400 stolen bases. His son Barry Bonds is the only other player to accomplish this feat. Bonds is sixth on the career list of home runs for the Giants franchise with 186.

He hit a grand slam in his first major league game, June 25, 1968, being one of three players in major league history to do it. The others are Bill Duggleby (1898) and Jeremy Hermida (2005).

Born in Riverside, California, Bonds signed with the Giants in 1964 out of high school. That same year he was a High School All-American in track & field, while also being named Southern California High School Athlete of the Year. He was Most Valuable Player of class A Western Carolina League. Bobby was named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team. As a player, coach, scout and front-office employee, he was with the franchise for 23 seasons. He was hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians 1984-87. Bonds' brother Robert played in the National Football League, and his sister Rosie was an Olympic sprinter.

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Athletes - Bobby Bonds

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