How Hall of Famer Willie Mays Nurtured a Young Barry Bonds Long Before His Controversial MLB Career

MLB world hardly has anyone else like Barry Bonds. While he had exceptional talent and power, his controversies always tainted his career. There are only a few people whom Bonds compliment or claimed close to his heart. Willie Mays comes at the top. His influence was most deep in the Home Run King.

The “Say Hey Kid” is one of the baseball legends of all time. Besides that, he was the Godfather of Barry Bonds. Jeff Pearlman, in his biographical book on this controversial legend, explained how this godfather-godson relationship developed.

Willie Mays Nurtured the Little Bonds During His Time in Giants

Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds were family friends. When young Barry joined the San Francisco Giants, Mays was almost at the end of his career. Though these two teammates had a considerable age gap and the time they played together was not more than 4 years, their friendship was strong. So strong that he became Barry’s godfather, whom the legend respects more than his father.

This friendship and emotional bonding didn’t grow overnight. It has a long history that Pearlman recorded in his book, Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds. Page number 33 of the book recorded the beginning of this godfather-godson relationship. When Bobby joined the team as a rookie, Mays was 37 already. He used to show the rookie the rules that must be maintained. As a little boy, Barry used to visit the Giants’ locker room with his father, where he met his godfather.

The book recorded, “Mays was the guy who slipped Barry pieces of Beechnut chewing gum; who’d humor him with a game of catch and soft-punch boxing matches; who let the him sit in the front seat of his pink Cadillac.” Besides his father and a few other teammates, the kid used to be with the former Center Fielder.

This relationship soon created an affectionate, emotional bond between the two legends. Barry with his skills, could have easily surpassed his godfather, but Mays never felt jealous about it. However, the drug scandal changed things. Bonds’ career got a permanent scar.

Did the Drug Scandal Hampered the Godfather-Godson Relationship?

The drug scandal was a major controversy in the former Giants’ Power Hitter’s career. Though it had faded several things, it had no effect on his relationship with his godfather. Mays never cut off with his godson because of this. He even denied the fact that Bonds took drugs.

Read More: “I Sleep Next to Him”- Barry Bonds Once Paid a Bizarre Tribute to an MLB Legend Who Also Serves as a Godfather

The 1954 World Series Champion even fought for the controversial legend’s Cooperstown entry. He appealed to his fans to vote for his godson and let him enter the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Do you agree that sometimes love and emotional bond surpasses blood relationships? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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