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At the peak of his MLB career, Barry Bonds was one of the most dominant athletes the sports world has ever seen.
He holds the MLB records for home runs in a single season, home runs in a career, career walks, intentional walks, and MVP awards.
He is also the only player in MLB history that is a member of the 500-500 club with 500 homers and 500 stolen bases in his career.
Even age took a while to take a toll on hi performances as he was able to hit .370 at 37 years old.
For much of his career, opposing teams were flat out afraid to pitch to Bonds to the point that he was once intentionally walked with the bases loaded.
Despite all of that, the former Giants and Pirates slugger remains absent from the Baseball Hall of Fame 16 years after he took the field for the last time.
The major argument against him is allegations of steroid use during his career that helped him put together his monster numbers.
Bonds hasn’t had much to say about his absence from Cooperstown in the past, but he recently spoke out about it.
Over the weekend, Bonds revealed during an appearance on “Hollywood Swingin” that he feels he was vindicated in court, but wasn’t vindicated in his own sport.
HOLLYWOOD SWINGIN PREMIERE!! The 🐐 episode with Barry Bonds is live now!!! Click link! #podcast #Hollywood #sports #baseball #goathttps://t.co/ZvuiLezb62 pic.twitter.com/RWjmct2yK4
— Hollywood Swingin’ (@HwoodSwingin) July 9, 2023
“People have to understand something is that the fact is that I was vindicated,” Bonds said. “I went to the court, I was in federal court, I won my case. 100 percent. Where is the vindication of me in my own sport? That’s what bothers me.”
There are quite a few players from that era of baseball being held out of the Hall because of suspicions of steroid use. However, Bonds has the strongest case to get in regardless of any allegations.
It is impossible to tell the history of the MLB without Barry Bonds. He’s the single-season and career home run king and those are both records that may never be touched.
He was also arguably well on his way to the Hall of Fame before any steroid allegations came into play.
He won 3 MVP awards by the end of the 1993 season. That would have tied him for the most all-time if his career ended right there. He also racked up All-Star appearances, Gold Gloves, and Silver Sluggers before the alleged steroid use would have begun.
Still, the only people whose opinions actually matter when it comes to Bonds’ inclusion in the Hall of Fame continue to repeatedly decide doesn’t deserve a spot.