Bobby Bonds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby Bonds |
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Bonds in 1975
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: March 15, 1946 Riverside, California |
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| Died: August 23, 2003 (aged 57) San Carlos, California |
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| debut | |||
| June 25, 1968, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1981, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .268 | ||
| Home runs | 332 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,024 | ||
| Stolen bases | 461 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Bobby Lee Bonds (born March 15, 1946 – died August 23, 2003) was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball. He played from 1968 to 1981, mostly for the San Francisco Giants. Bobby Bonds was famous for hitting many home runs and being very fast.
He was the first player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 stolen bases in the same season more than twice. He did this five times, which was a record! His son, Barry Bonds, later matched this amazing feat. Bobby was also the first player to achieve this in both the American and National Leagues. He was only the second player ever to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. Bobby and Barry Bonds hold the record for the most combined home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases by a father-son duo.
Contents
Bobby Bonds' Amazing Baseball Career
Early Life and Start in Baseball
Bobby Bonds was born in Riverside, California. He played high school baseball at Riverside Polytechnic High School. In 1964, he signed with the San Francisco Giants. Bobby came from a family of athletes. His sister, Rosie Bonds, was an Olympic hurdler in 1964. His brother, Robert, was also a talented track and field athlete. Bobby himself was a high school All-American in track and field.
Making a Big Splash in MLB
Bobby Bonds made his major league debut on June 25, 1968. In just his third time at bat, he hit a grand slam! This made him only the second player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his very first game. He was named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Bobby was known for his incredible mix of power and speed. However, he also struck out a lot. In 1969, his first full season, he set a major league record with 187 strikeouts. He broke his own record a year later with 189 strikeouts. This record stood for 34 years!
In 1973, Bobby Bonds had an incredible season. He hit a career-high 39 home runs and stole 43 bases. This was the highest number of home runs and stolen bases (39+ of each) by a player until José Canseco in 1988. Bobby and Barry Bonds have a combined 1,094 home runs, which is a record for a father-son pair.
Awards and Achievements
Bobby Bonds was a fantastic fielder. He won the Gold Glove Award three times (in 1971, 1973, and 1974). He was also chosen for the All-Star team three times (1971, 1973, and 1975). In 1973, he was even named the All-Star Game MVP!
In 1971, he helped the Giants win the National League West title. This was their first time in the postseason since 1962. He finished fourth in the voting for the MVP award that year. In 1973, he finished third in the MVP voting. He was also named the NL Player of the Year by The Sporting News.
Leading Off with a Bang
Bobby Bonds was a great leadoff hitter, meaning he was often the first batter in a game. He set a major league record for hitting the most home runs to start a game in his career (35). He also set a record for hitting 11 leadoff home runs in a single season (1973). These records were later broken by other players.
After playing for the Giants, Bobby Bonds played for many different teams. He played for seven more teams over seven seasons! He was with the New York Yankees, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago Cubs.
When Bobby Bonds retired, his 461 career stolen bases ranked 12th in major league history. He later became a hitting coach for the Cleveland Indians and then for the San Francisco Giants. He rejoined the Giants in 1993 when his son Barry signed with the team. Bobby spent 23 seasons with the Giants organization as a player, coach, scout, and in the front office.
Bobby Bonds was known for his "power-speed number," which combines how good a player is at hitting home runs and stealing bases. As of 2018, he had the fifth-highest career power-speed number, behind his son Barry, Rickey Henderson, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez.
Personal Life
On May 3, 1963, Bobby Bonds married Patricia Howard. They had three sons. Their son, Barry Bonds, became one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Their son, Bobby Bonds Jr., also played professional baseball for eleven years.
Bobby Bonds passed away at age 57 in San Carlos, California, due to illness. He is buried at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, California.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- 30–30 club
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
