Philadelphia – Barry Bonds brings noise.
On sight, he is booed. On contact, he is loud. Philadelphia catcher Sal Fasano described the sound when Bonds hit his 713th home run Sunday night, a towering blast that slammed off the McDonald’s sign on the facing of the third deck at Citizens Bank Park.
“You know those caps you have as a kid that pop when you hit them with a hammer? Well, with Barry, it’s like somebody smacking it with a sledgehammer,” Fasano said. “Mark Mc- Gwire’s and Sammy Sosa’s made a similar sound. But no one is as loud as Barry’s.”
Not only can Babe Ruth hear Bonds’ footsteps, he can feel his presence. Bonds sits one shy of Ruth’s 714 home runs, the most by a left-handed hitter.
In his third at-bat against Phillies starter Jon Lieber, Bonds crushed an 87 mph fastball so hard the crowd gasped. Speaking to the media afterward, Bonds offered a rare glimpse into his life, saying a long discussion with his mother helped him get his “head on straight” and that the magnitude of passing Ruth has hit him harder than expected.
“I think it’s the greatest thing. I really do,” Bonds said. “I may not show it a lot. It’s overwhelming right now. To me this is larger than the single-season home run record (set by Bonds in 2001).”
Bonds, expected to be used as a pinch-hitter in tonight’s home game against the Houston Astros, admired his work for five steps before breaking into a jog. After crossing home plate, Bonds pointed to the sky, then blew a kiss to his mom, Pat, sitting near the dugout with her son’s publicist and Giants vice president Larry Baer.
“I am just happy she didn’t waste the trip,” Bonds said. “We had a long talk about a lot of things. This has been mentally draining.”
It speaks to the bizarre nature of Bonds’ pursuit of history that the 25-year-old Air Force serviceman who caught the ball as it bounced into the second deck was asked if he felt the home run was legitimate based on the steroid allegations dogging the slugger.
“I have no problem with the home runs. I am Bonds’ fan,” said Carlos Oliveras, born in Puerto Rico, living in New Jersey and awaiting deployment to Iraq from McGuire Air Force Base. “I never thought anything like this would happen.”
Bonds said Oliveras would be an “idiot” if he didn’t keep the ball. The slugger posed for a picture with him but declined to autograph the ball.
Bonds’ attempt to tie Ruth vanished in the eighth when he struck out against reliever Aaron Fultz. The boos and chants of “Steroids!” that rained down for three nights were replaced by flashbulbs prepared to mark the moment.
When Bonds went to his position Sunday, he was greeted with an updated banner that read: “Ruth did it with hot dogs. Aaron did it with class. How did you do it?”
“They are supposed to be mature people, too,” Bonds said. “A lot of them bring their kids and say a lot of things in front of them. If that’s how you want your own children to be raised, then that’s your problem.”
Bonds’ sixth-inning home run didn’t halt the Giants’ losing streak but reduced some of the bubbling tension among the players. Before the game, a players- only meeting was called to address their poor play and how to handle the circus atmosphere around Bonds more adroitly.
The Giants begin a seven- game homestand tonight, and Bonds has told teammates for weeks his preference is to eclipse Ruth in San Francisco.
“I look forward to giving somebody the opportunity to better their lifestyle,” Bonds said of the home run souvenirs.
Baer said the club will honor the achievement at AT&T Park, bringing in important people from Bonds’ past.
“We won’t orchestrate stopping the game, but something will obviously be done,” Baer said.
The first indication Bonds was approaching this night differently came in batting practice. Rather than smash home runs, he sprayed the ball to all fields. His right knee seemed more sturdy, his swing more vicious.
“I am glad he’s leaving,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’s about to get hot.”
Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5447 or trenck@denverpost.com.
Home run leaders
1. Hank Aaron 755
2. Babe Ruth 714
3. x-Barry Bonds 713
4. Willie Mays 660
5. Sammy Sosa 588
6. Frank Robinson 586
7. Mark McGwire 583
8. Harmon Killebrew 573
9. Rafael Palmeiro 569
10. Reggie Jackson 563
(x-active)
