Tributes pouring in for Bonds
Barry Bonds predicted that Alex Rodriguez will break his home-run record.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A king without his crown — what a strange sight.
A day after his most remarkable triumph yet, Barry Bonds had no cap. And he already was late for the team photo.
“I don’t have a hat,” the slugger said loudly, moments before rushing from the clubhouse to take the picture. “I need a hat.”
On cue, longtime Giants equipment manager Mike Murphy scurried across the grass to deliver the necessary item to No. 25.
With his 756th home run out of the way and the most hallowed record in sports now his own, Bonds could finally turn his attention to more than hitting homers.
Bonds was in the lineup Wednesday night, batting cleanup and playing left field against the Washington Nationals.
Congratulations aplenty
From the White House, to international home run king Sadaharu Oh in Japan, to his first major league manager, Jim Leyland, and onto Alex Rodriguez, the congratulations began to pour in for the San Francisco star, who realized in recent weeks just how difficult it is to clear the fences when that’s all you’re trying to do.
“Now, the hard part’s over, and we get to actually go back to our everyday routines and enjoy ourselves,” Bonds said.
Not that he didn’t enjoy the celebration after breaking Hank Aaron’s 33-year-old record Tuesday night in his home ballpark.
But Bonds quickly took a glimpse toward the future: He does believe A-Rod will unseat him as home run king. The Yankees third baseman reached 500 at age 32 and is far ahead of Bonds’ pace.
Predicts Rodriguez next
“I’m not trying to set any bars. Alex will break my record,” Bonds said. “He’s young enough to catch anybody. Like I said I’m rooting for him.”
Would he campaign for them to be teammates somewhere?
“I don’t have recruiting powers,” Bonds said.
It took him a while to wind down from all the excitement surrounding this feat. His wife, Liz, sported a black T-shirt reading “The King and I.” And Bonds had his two daughters, Shikari and Aisha, son Nikolai, mother Pat, and a sister to celebrate the moment.
Not to mention Hall of Fame godfather, Willie Mays, his agent, two of his trainers, a pair of publicists and many other friends thrilled to be part of it.
Some fans watched the team photo unfold from the peek-a-boo knothole area beyond the fence from where the picture was shot.
“Barry!” one hollered.
Bonds received a call from President Bush on Wednesday morning.
Bonds’ solo shot over the wall in right-center gave his hometown fans yet another reason to cheer and celebrate him and forget — for this night at least — the suspicions that steroids fueled his pursuit of the Hammer.
“This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period,” Bonds said Tuesday.
Next up for the 43-year-old? He hopes it’s reaching 3,000 hits, and he plans to play in 2008 and beyond, as long as his body allows. He has 2,915 hits now.
Bonds’ milestone came on the three-year anniversary of Greg Maddux’s 300th victory in the Giants’ waterfront ballpark and the fifth anniversary of players agreeing to drug testing.
A grand jury is investigating whether Bonds perjured himself when he testified in the BALCO case that he hadn’t knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs.
Someone asked whether the grand jury had come up in his conversation with the President.
“Are you serious? Are you dead serious? It never ends,” Bonds said.