Barry Lamar Bonds was born on July 24, 1964, in Riverside, California, to Pat and Bobby Bonds. Pat was literally the girl next door—she and Bobby had been neighbors since the sixth grade. Bobby was a high school baseball star contemplating a big-league career when Barry arrived. He chose baseball over football even though he was better known as a gridiron and track hero for Riverside Polytechnic High School. Bobby once scored six touchdowns in three quarters, and was state champ in the long jump.

After playing a year for Riverside City College, Bobby signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1965 and began his pro career with Lexington of the old Class-A Western Carolinas League. After stops in Fresno, Waterbury and Phoenix, he made it to the majors as a rightfielder in 1968.

Barry was a month shy of his fourth birthday when Bobby cracked the San Francisco lineup. In his first game with the Giants, the 22-year-old hit a home run with the bases juiced against the Los Angeles Dodgers—the first player in the 20th century whose first major-league hit was a grand slam. A season later, Bobby was being hailed as the game’s most exciting young star. That same year, Barry’s brother,

ckey, was born.




Barry’s godfather was Bobby’s teammate, Willie Mays. Mays saw a lot of himself in the swift and powerful Bonds, and took him under his wing. He was also serious about his godfathering duties, watching over Barry as he shagged fly balls during batting practice in Candlestick Park as a kid.

As early as Barry can remember, both Willie and his dad were feeding him baseball advice. And throughout his childhood and later his baseball career, they never let his head get too big. Whenever Barry’s ego inflated, both men delighted in poking holes in it. The constant needling kept Barry grounded when everyone else was treating him like a god. And it kept him working hard where another player might have rested on his laurels.