Barry Bonds in the Pirates Hall of Fame is a disappointment.
It is funny that he’s going in alongside Jim Leyland though.
The Pirates announced their 2024 Hall Of Fame class on Tuesday, with many speculating since last year who would be next up. Staff-writer Connor Williams took charge on that story as the news had broke that Barry Bonds, Jim Leyland, and Manny Sanguillen would be part of this year’s class to be inducted in August. I was very happy to see that Leyland and Sanguillen made the cut this year as they are truly iconic in the city of Pittsburgh. I hate to rain on someone’s parade, but I was not thrilled to see that the infamous Bonds would be joining them, as I still do not believe that he belongs in our Hall of Fame.
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Once again, I’d like to state that this reasoning has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with Bond’s “alleged” steroid use. This stems from the fact that I don’t believe he is an all-time Pittsburgher. When I think of Pittsburgh athletes, he does not come to mind, at least not when I’m talking about memorable ones. “Mean” Joe Greene, Mario Lemieux, Roberto Clemente, and Art Rooney would probably have to be my Mt. Rushmore for the cities’ sporting legacy. After that, of course, you have guys like Sidney Crosby, Franco Harris, and Willie Stargell just to name a few. Bonds for me is closer to Antonio Brown and Josh Bell, guys who were real exciting for a time, but ultimately have faded like a candle in the wind.
All that to say, it’s not like Bonds did not have great years with the Pirates. In six seasons with the club, Bonds was a two-time NL MVP, two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glover, and three-time Silver Slugger. Of course, he blossomed into the player that most fans know him as after he departed in 1992 for the San Francisco Giants and became an all-time home run hitter. In all honesty, he may be one of the most gifted athletes to don the black and gold. Those teams with him, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke, Sid Bream, and others were classic for the city of Pittsburgh, bringing the Bucs closer to a pennant since the days of Willie and the Boys in 1978.
Again though, a Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer he is not. Being voted “Most Despised Pirate” he’s certainly not winning any popularity contests. Winning championships matters as well, and he infamously was never able to get past the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs. Now obviously it’s a team sport, but in crucial moments, Bonds was noticeably missing. The sour attitude he brought to the clubhouse, that would then boil over towards his treatment of the press was anything but honorable.
