Father-Son Bonds

It is not easy to be sympathetic to San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds, an anti-divine trinity of outstanding ego, paranoia and ball-playing ability. However, while it may just be part of a PR campaign (placed on the team's web site), the article by Barry Bloom on how Bonds' handles knowing his father won't see him break Henry Aaron's home record may still cause misting in some eyes.

Bobby Bonds, who died Aug. 23, 2003, at age 57, was a three-time All Star (and once MVP of the game) whose great natural talent was not large enough to overcome various personal demons and left him with a solid career, but one short of Hall of Fame standards suggested by his first years in the majors. (Surely there are fascinating parallels to be explored when the dual bio gets written.) On the other side of the generations, Bloom writes that Barry Bonds' teenage son Nikolai, who often served as a Giants' bat boy might also miss his record breaking turn at bat while away at camp. So, a few moments after the record ball has cleared the fence and the bases are rounded, baseball's greatest home run hitter will stand amidst tens of thousands of people and could still feel all alone: not with a father, nor with a son.