Barry Bonds has, on several occasions, been celebrated as one of the game’s greatest hitters. While ‘model professional‘ is not a phrase often associated with the controversial star, there was a season when Barry proved everyone wrong. Turning up day after day, the SF Giants slugger continued to power on despite his personal situation. Thus, advocating for: the season may be forgotten, but the the records remain.

In his book ‘Love Me Hate Me – Barry Bonds,’ author Jeff Pearlman recounts the story of a historic season with the Giants when Bonds was hitting the ball despite turmoil in his previous life. The chips were not falling his way off the diamond, but on it, the ball was popping off his bat.

MLB Icon’s Great Season Amid Personal Turmoil

Fans would have forgiven Bonds if he underperformed in the 1994 season. The star was undergoing one of the toughest times in his personal life having to deal with a divorce. Especially with the media not letting any ground slip, the pressure was on the athlete off the diamond. But we call them the greats for a reason.

On page 159, Pearlman mentions how Bonds was not shaken and how it seemed like just another day at the office for him. In a season that every Giants fans will remember, Bonds averaged .312, dispatching 37 home runs and notching up 81 RBIs in the games he played. A feat even without any context. And for once even his team members agreed that Bonds was the Giants’ lead contributor.

Said Darren Lewis, the Giants’ central fielder at the time, “Most guys, when they’re getting a divorce, it affects them. Their numbers go down, their minds are somewhere else. Not Barry. That wasn’t going to stop him. Nothing was going to stop him.”

Barry Bonds – A True Enigma

Barry Bonds was truly one of the games greatest hitters but his own conduct with the media and often even his own teammates stopped people from fully appreciating the player. The star has put together one of the most complete careers as an MLB hitter. Consistently performing at MVP level for the better part of his stint, however, the fans’ appreciation remains lacking. And Bonds has no one to blame but himself.

Read More: “I’m Tired of Always Being Criticized..” : Controversial Barry Bonds’ Trust Issues With the Media Spanned 2 Decades and This Is Why

While the star has made some moves recently to turn things around with his conduct in the media, his record remains controversial. But that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. Bonds will always be seen as the game’s greatest hitters, albeit with an asterisk.

Watch This Story: From Unforeseen Beginnings to Unstoppable Greatness – The Story of Barry Bonds