My Favorite Giant

Bobby Bonds, 1946-2003

I've loved baseball ever since Tim, the boy next door, invited me over in spring of '63 to see his glossy photos of Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, and to listen to Giants baseball on the radio.

Those two living legends were heroes of mine as a boy, but the baseball player whom I loved the most arrived when I was in my teens, as Mays and McCovey were aging, but still around. Bobby Bonds ran like the wind, on the basepaths as well as patrolling right field at Candlestick Park. He had a great arm and fine instincts along with his speed and batting power. He struck out a lot, but also bashed homers, including leading off the ballgame, putting the crowd in a dither before they had unwrapped their hot dogs and taken their seats.

Giants fans often talk about the sad day when Willie Mays was traded, but for me the trade of Bobby Bonds, in his prime, was really heartbreaking. Nobody generated that much hope and excitement in the orange and black for me anyway, until, well, Barry Bonds. It made me happy that Bobby returned many years later to serve as Giants batting coach, and got to be close at hand as his son Barry toppled record after record.