“Franklin Meant Everything to Me…”- When Losing His Bodyguard Shattered Giants Legend Barry Bonds’ Hard Exterior

MLB legend Barry Bonds stands alone as far as baseball records and controversies surrounding it are considered. He is often compared to Babe Ruth for his astonishing career achievements. Barry Bonds has a controversial image due to his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs in the steroid era of the 1990s-2000s.

Being the best player of his time, he was also the central figure in the steroid scandal. Amid the allegations and lengthy court battles, people remembered only the tough side of him. However, the biography of Bonds reveals his lesser-known soft and humane side.

Time When Barry Bonds Lost His Close Friend:

In the biography of Barry Bonds, acclaimed sports writer Jeff Pearlman revealed the unknown side of Bonds. The biography looks into the stellar career of Bonds and his fall from grace after the steroid scandal.

In the book, Pearlman talks of a particular incident of September 2001 that changed Bonds’ life forever. It was the death of his close friend, Franklin Bradley, who was also his bodyguard for a long time. Bonds heard of the complication in his gastric bypass surgery on the morning of September 27 and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Before Bonds reached the hospital, Bradley was gone.

Bonds was emotionally destroyed after the death of his friend Bradley. In an interview with Baseball Weekly, he said, “Franklin meant everything to me. He’s been around me since my kids were born. And the one time he wants to do something for himself, something fatal happens.”

The book reveals that the days after Bradley’s death were particularly hard for Bonds. After his friend’s funeral, he went to the ground against the San Diego Padres. 

Overcoming the Emotions and Grief

Barry Bonds was in grief after losing his best friend, but he restored his strength to go to the ground and fight. After his storming performance, Giants won by 10-5, but Bonds was not celebrating his victory this time. He returned to the bench, sat alone, and cried.

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In the post-interview, he talked about his state of mind during the game. He said, “It was hard to hold back [the emotions]. I just said, you know, let God handle it. I’ve got to play the game. Let God handle all of the emotions.”

The career of Barry Bonds has ups and downs like no other. He has an image of a strong and ruthless player, but he is an emotional and caring person, away from the limelight in the other part of his life.

Watch This Story- From Unforeseen Beginnings to Unstoppable Greatness the Remarkable Journey of Giants Legend Barry Bonds