Barry Bonds‘ is a bona fide legend. With 792 home runs and 73 homers in a single season, only a few doubts about his hitting prowess. But beneath the layers of the sport’s great hitter, there also lie a person who went through a tumultuous time growing up. And in no small part because of his relationship with his parents, especially his father.

Hailing from Riverside, California, the young Barry Bonds had baseball in him since he was in school. But the young athlete’s school showing often was not the greatest memory for the star. An instance in the book “Love Me Hate Me: Barry Bonds” by Jeff Pearlman stands out from the rest that makes this all the more clear.

The Unforgettable Late-Season Freshman Baseball Game For Barry Bonds

Like any teenager, Barry Bonds was afraid of giving his friends too much for fear of being made fun of. In particular, Barry shared a strained relationship with his father.

His father, Bobby Bonds, although once a force to be reckoned with in Major League Baseball, was no longer the hitter he used to be. The press had documented his father’s alcohol abuse during his playing years. And retirement was no better for Bobby Bonds.

Pearlman narrates an incident from Bonds’ school game while at Junipero Serra High. That speaks why Barry may not have wanted his father at his games.

Page 41 of the book reads, “During a late-season freshman baseball game between Serra and St. Ignatius, Bobby, who was clearly intoxicated, arrived at Central Park while Barry and his teammates were taking the field. For the first hour or so, he stood on the sidelines, slurring insults at the umpire.”

Eventually, Bobby made his way to the bench, sitting next to one coach, his breath reeking of alcohol. Barry’s teammates tried to carry on as if everything was normal. But everyone realized Bobby Bonds was once again heavily under the influence.

Bonds’ Received Favorable Treatment at School

Barry Bonds was no slouch. But his schooling was always a result of his reputation as an athlete. When Barry Bonds started at Serra, he was clearly one of the top talents in the country and had the reputation to go with it. He batted for a 0.467 batting average his senior year and was named prep All-American.

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While other students recount instances of when teachers caught Barry doing something wrong.

“I remember the looks on the faces of teachers when Barry did something wrong. They knew there was no point going to the dean, because nothing was going to happen. He could get away with anything,” recalls Scott Kockos, a Serra classmate.

Barry was used to favorable treatment all his school life on the back of his athletic record. And that was no mean feat itself. And when the same player was often mis-treated by the media in his professional career, it’s easy to see how he might not have liked it.

How do you see Barry Bonds? As the product of a troubled childhood? Or as the result of a life without consequences? Let us know in the comments below.

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