“I Didn’t Have to Figure Things Out” – In Rare Instance, MLB Legend Barry Bonds Gives Credit to Dad for His Baseball Advice

Even the Home Run King needed advice sometimes. Barry Bonds, possibly one of the greatest baseball players to come out of America, considers himself a lucky man. Although his massive achievements will always be tainted by his steroid past, he’s still a legend. And he owes part of it to his dad.

Bonds has been open about his close connection to his mother but usually shies away from mentioning his dad. Incidentally, Bobby Bonds was also an MLB player and taught his son a thing or two. In a rather rare occurrence, the former San Francisco Giants player recently opened up about his dad’s guidance.

Barry Bonds gives heartfelt thanks to his dad, Bobby Bonds

Recently, Bonds appeared on the podcast Hollywood Swingin’ with Stephen Bishop and Jerry Hairston Jr. As the hosts asked him about what he felt about being labeled as one of the greatest, Bonds gave a rare insight into his early career.

One of the hosts jokingly asked him, “But when you’re out there, did it feel like you were a man playing amongst children?” Bonds laughed, “No, not at all. It’s the competition, it’s just the love of a competition, just playing the game at a certain level.” Bonds further in the conversation revealed his two great instructors.

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Revealing that it wasn’t just his dad but the legendary Willie Mays who gave him crucial advice, too, Barry said, “I try to tell people all the time; I was very lucky to have my father and Willie Mays with me for twenty-four hours a day.. I had two great instructors all the time. I didn’t have to figure things out; they figured it out for me.” The Home Run King continued on how everything was served on a plate for him.

He said, “I didn’t really have to think about things most everyday players have to think about and have to figure it out on their own with their coaching staffs or whatever…I had the best of the best. My dad and Willie. My father can pick apart any pitcher, anything, and all I had to do is just implement. I just had to put it.” Perhaps it was this bonding that made them a unique father-son duo in baseball.

The Bonds Sr. and Jr. are part of a rare club

Father-son duos are interesting to see in baseball, but there are only a rare few who get to play at the same time. However, that leaves an opportunity for the son to surpass the father, but sometimes, they share rare stats too.

The Barry and Bobby Bonds duo is among only four significant leaguers with over 300 steals and 300-plus career homers. Although Bonds Jr. went on to have more impressive numbers, the word legendary has a new meaning.

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