Barry Bonds put San Diego Padres pitcher Clay Hensley in the record books on Saturday night after sending the right-hander’s second inning 2-1 delivery over the left-centerfield wall for career home run number 755, tying him with Hank Aaron for most in the major league history.
The historic blast was capped at the plate with Bonds being greeted by teenaged son Nikolai who jumped into his father’s arms. The large crowd at PETCO Park gave the 22-year vet a standing ovation despite booing him loudly before he approached the plate.
Bonds equaled Aaron’s mark with baseball commissioner Bud Selig in attendance. For a long time Selig had said he would stay away from Bonds’ chase but eventually relented and has followed the Giants slugger in his pursuit.
Now Bonds sits just one away from surpassing Aaron on the career list yet the new mark may not last as long as Hank’s 33-year reign. New York Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th career home run on Saturday as well and at 32-years-old seems a likely candidate to pass Bonds when he retires.