It isn't often that arguably a sport's best player isn't in their Hall of Fame. Michael Jordan is obviously an NBA Hall of Famer, and LeBron James will be one day. In the NFL, Tom Brady is a Hall of Fame lock. However, Barry Bonds, who holds MLB's all time home run record, is not in the Hall of Fame.
Bonds' talent and accomplishments were unquestionably Hall of Fame worthy. The subject of PEDs, though, have kept him out of Cooperstown. MLB Hall of Fame voters clearly haven't forgiven the former San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates superstar. Bonds' absence from the Hall of Fame has led to various opinions on the matter. Some believe he should remain out of Cooperstown because of the PED issue, while others are willing to look past his troubled history and think he should be a member.
Barry Bonds hasn't spoken much about the question of whether or not he should be in the Hall of Fame. He recently broke his silence on the matter though, per the podcast Hollywood Swinging' with Stephen Bishop and Jerry Hairston Jr.
Barry Bonds on MLB Hall of Fame absence: “Where's the vindication?”
“People have to understand something is that the fact is that I was vindicated,” Bonds said. “I went to the court, I was in federal court, I won my case. 100 percent. Where is the vindication of me in my own sport? That's what bothers me.”
Bonds stated that he was “vindicated.” He seems to believe he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Again, nobody will argue against him based on his statistics. The fact that he was tied to PEDs tarnished his reputation though, something that many people aren't willing to forget or move on from.
Bonds' Hall of Fame career
Everyone remembers Barry Bonds for his home runs. After all, he passed both Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, ultimately crushing the most homers of all time with a mark of 762.
What people may forget is how talented of an all-around player Bonds was. He finished his career with 514 stolen bases. Bonds consistently swiped 30-plus bags early in his career with the Pirates. He continued to do so early during his Giants tenure as well.
Bonds was arguably the most feared hitter ever. He was intentionally walked on a consistent basis, leading the league in walks 12 times during his 22-year career. Bonds is still the all time walks leader with a jaw-dropping mark of 2,558. He's also been intentionally walked the most ever, receiving the treatment 688 times in his career.
Should Bonds be in the MLB Hall of Fame?
The subject is up for debate. Again, the MLB world is split on the question. There aren't many fans who don't care though. People seem to either be on one side or the other and tend to feel passionate on the issue.
If Bonds is ever elected to the Hall of Fame, then it would create a domino effect. Other players linked to PEDs, such as Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, and plenty of others, would likely join Bonds in Cooperstown as well.
Therein lies the dilemma. If one player linked to PEDs is elected, then who's to say everyone else won't follow? And then how about Pete Rose? Yes, he's not in the Hall of Fame for gambling on games, but allowing PED players in would probably strengthen his case.
There's no correct answer here. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, the younger generation seems to be more forgiving of Barry Bonds. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising to see an exception made at some point in the future. For now, MLB's all time home run leader remains out of Cooperstown.
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