Despite the fact he's noticeably bulked up since his younger years, Barry Bonds' most impressive physical attribute has nothing to do with what he can bench press or how much he can squat. No, his most impressive ability is by far his eye sight, and in particular, recognizing balls from strikes.
Seriously, before climbing atop the career home run leaderboard, he broke the major league record for walks in a season three times, first in 2001 with 177 walks, again in 2002 with 198 walks and one more time in 2004 with 232 walks. If you take a look at the rest of the top 20 and you'll see his name appear three more times. So not only has he hit more home runs than anyone else, he's done it the last several years despite rarely seeing any pitches to hit.
Except tonight, that is. Mike Bacsik clearly wasn't daunted by the prospects of becoming a footnote in history. It would have been easy for Bacsik to walk Bonds at least a couple of times, especially after falling behind in the count, but instead he challenged Bonds each time he came up to bat. Bacsik paid for it, of course, as Bonds got hits in each of his first two at-bats and scored both times before launching the ball into the stands in the fifth inning. But still, challenging Bonds was the sporting thing to do.
After leaving the game, Bacsik did an in-game interview with ESPN's Erin Andrews and said he congratulated Bonds and told him he was the greatest. He added that Bonds, ever the sportsmen, gave him an autographed bat ... as well as a permanent place in sports trivia.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-08-2007 @ 1:44AM
George B Vieto said...
Mike Bacsik did the right thing by pitching to Barry and playing the coward and walking him like some other pitchers who should be ashamed of being part of history.
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 1:58AM
tom said...
I dont think it should be a big deal Barry Bonds is not a home run king to me but a steoid king maybe.Hammeren Hank Arron never used performance enhancing drugs.I think if anyone should be given credit is the person responsible for giving Bonds steroids.Think about that Mr Bonds.U are fooling yourself and everyone else if u think u deserve this title ur a joke a cheater and an egotistical a-hloe if u think u deserve this.Go out celebrate im not.Hammeren Hank my hats off to you. Barry Bonds ur nothing and should not be enducted in the hall of fame .Oh wait the perfect place for u is the hall of shame.There thats better.
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 2:04AM
Matt said...
No Hank never took steroids. He just took anthepamines like all the other players in the 50's and 60's did!
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 4:19AM
Paul said...
Those of you who believe that Bonds shouldn't be accepted as the homerun record holder,or that Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose shouldn't be accepted into the Hall of Fame, or that Michael Irvin's soul-bareing acceptance speech was anything less than sincere,or any person deprived of his utmost reward or respect for the "all" given of themselves to his or her works without harming anyone else but themselves,can't see the big picture, and must live a more perfect world than common folks like me live in. Hard work will wring sweat...it also should ring justly.
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 11:14AM
brad said...
barry bonds cheated we all know it. Henry Aaron is the home run king he did not use preformance enhancing drugs like barry bonds did. here something you can think about did Mike Mcguire get into the hall of fame should of but he didnt because he cheated same way with pete rose exept with gambling that is why barry bonds should not make it in and get stripped of his title. THANK YOU!
Reply
8-11-2007 @ 2:58PM
outofmarket said...
"Now Al Downing and I can go out and do card shows together"
-Mike Bacsik
Heh. Man's a good sport. Like him when he was a Met, at least as much as you can like a rarely used lefty reliever.
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 11:31AM
Nancy said...
No matter how or when Barry hit that ball to pass the Hank record, you have got to give it what it is worth and that is, he can hit a ball and he can play ball. Sometimes people might need something extra to help them along, who really knows, but with or without steroids, he did it, he knows how to play and we might as well get use to it as it has already been done. Nothing will be taken away from Hank at all, he was and is one of the greatest players in baseball history, once you obtain something like he did,its yours for your lifetime and then afterwards also, so please just let the doggone thing rest and let Barry enjoy his time in baseball. He hasnt hurt anyone and if he did something to himself that causes harm, then he did it to himself and its none of our business. Let it rest!!!!!!! He did a fantastic job!
Reply
8-08-2007 @ 2:18PM
Sherry said...
Way to go Mike! We all here in Duncanville, Texas are sooooooo proud of you! Especially, my boss, your Father-In-Law!!! You're in the Record Books now!!
Reply
8-09-2007 @ 2:35AM
ty said...
barry steroid bonds RUINED and DESTROY the GAME of BASEBALL for ME and all the YOUNG MEN and WOMEN that PLAY and LOVE the GAME by expressing that it is OK to take UN-NATURAL INHANCER to play the GAME of BASEBALL and ANYONE that is inducting that FREAK of nature into the HALL OF FAME has NO ounce of RESPECT for the GAME of BASEBALL!!!!!! the MLB is about to lose a fan
Reply
8-09-2007 @ 11:28AM
wellba said...
Hey, let's stop judging & try to learn positive lessons from mistakes/poor life choices of others & let's teach our young children & youth to also learn to be honest & true in their lives. Life isn't always fair. Sometimes dishonesty is rewarded & celebrated by the world but in the end you have to know that it will all come out in the wash. And you have to wake up & look in the mirror & you'll either say, "hey, I'm proud of you" or you'll say, "darn, others may not know but I know the ugly truth about myself". And when someone like M.Irvin gives an appology or semi-confession, let's not judge the sincerity of it because there is only One true Judge. So let's celebrate with our Texan Mike Bacsik! I know (& work with) his mom & he seems to have a sweet, humble spirit & a true love of the game! Mike, you make us at the Mansfield I.S.D. very proud of you!! God Bless !!
Reply
8-09-2007 @ 12:51PM
Stephen said...
Hey Brad. You are a typical uninformed moran spreading your lack of knowledge. Pete did not get in because there was proof he gambled. Real evidence he gambled. His fingerprints on the cards. Mcguire did not get in because the only thing he did was hit homers. Barry will get in because of his stolen bases (over 500). More walks then anyone (pitchers scared of him). 7 Mvp's, 8 gold gloves. Had 500 homers before steroid "accusations." Even writers who hate him including Bob Costas on The JIm Rhome show said he should not be homer king but definately in the Hall.
Reply
8-09-2007 @ 12:58PM
Stephen said...
Praise the lord. TY is leaving the MLB fanbase. Dont let the door hit you in the butt on your way out. You are not a fan. A fan would not let one player run you away. I guess Gaylord Perry should be removed. He admitted using sand paper and vasoline. The babe and Hank Aaron both used speed. Go clean up your glass house before throwing a stone
Reply