Barry Bonds is considered one of best hitters of all-time in baseball but that has not helped him get into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The legendary San Francisco Giants slugger recently appeared on the “Hollywood Swingin” podcast hosted by Jerry Hairston Jr. and Stephen Bishop and explained that it makes “no sense” for him to be continuously snubbed for admission into Cooperstown.
No Entry
Bonds was denied entry by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December after falling short in 10 years on the writers’ ballot. The group consists of former players, MLB executives and members of the media who provide a secondary route to the Hall of Fame for players that weren’t voted in on the writers’ ballot.
He was asked did the recent results bother him after being denied yet again.
“‘Yeah, does it bother you?’ Sure. I’m human, I’m not some wall sitting up here [who] doesn’t care,” Bonds said. “Sure, it bothers you. But at the same time, I also know who I am. And the thing is that people have to understand … I was vindicated. I went to the court, I was in federal court, and I won my case, 100 percent.”
He continued, “Where is the vindication of me in my own sport? That’s what bothers me.”
Bonds is a seven-time MVP, 14-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. He also finished his career with an MLB-record 762 home runs, 2,935 hits and 514 stolen bases. Those are worthy numbers to get you in Cooperstown by anyone’s hall of fame metrics but his connection to performance-enhancing drugs has kept him on the outside looking in.
“I appealed that charge, and I won. I’m not under federal, I’m not a criminal of any kind, I’m not anything,” Bonds told Bishop and Hairston. “[My] Major League Baseball records are still there, and I try to tell everybody this … I don’t care if they want to judge athletes on performance enhancing drugs or not, it doesn’t matter. Major League Baseball, and let’s get this clearly and straight, had a rule and has rules, OK?”
The charge Bonds is referring to is the indictment by a grand jury of three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice in 2007. He was found guilty in 2011 on the obstruction of justice but the other three charges were dropped due to a declared mistrial by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.
One More Chance
So, the question comes of what’s next for Bonds? He mentioned in the interview that “My era, there was no rules,” and that could be true to some extent but the hall of fame voters are not viewing it that way, at least with him. He didn’t mention any names but did say other players aren’t being punished by the Hall of Fame voters.
“Why is the Hall of Fame punishing me? It doesn’t make sense,” Bonds said.
Despite the latest snub, the man known as the home run king will have another opportunity to get the nod in 2026. The 58-year-old is just hopeful his mother will still be alive when, and if, that day finally comes.
“It’s not over … Every three years it comes up,” Bonds said. “There is a possibility, and I belong with my teammates in that Hall of Fame, 100 percent.”
