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MLB legend Barry Bonds' former teammate A. J. Pierzynski claimed that the slugger deliberately timed breaking Willie Mays' home run record at home in San Francisco.
In 2004, the San Francisco Giants slugger passed Mays' record of 660 home runs, before evetually setting a new mark of 762 home runs. His then teammate, Pierzynski, has revealed how Bonds planned breaking the record in front of his home fans:
"Barry comes into the clubhouse, and that was 659 in his career. We had had five more games on the road, he goes, 'I will not hit a home run until we get back to San Francisco. I want to tie Willie at home.'
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"For five games, he didn't hit a home run. We get back home, he goes, 'All right, today's the day I tie Willie,' homer. Next day, 'Today's the day I Willie passes me the torch,' homer. It was like nothing I had ever seen in my life."
Willie Mays is a baseball legend who had started his career in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro League. He went on to play for the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets before retiring in 1973. He's widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
When Barry Bonds entered the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986, Willie Mays was probably the best hitter in baseball history. However, Bonds went about changing that as he broke one record after another. While his record of 762 career home runs remains unbeaten, he also holds the records for single-season homers, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Watch: Barry Bonds breaks his bat while hitting 601st home run in 2002
Just days after hitting his 600th career home run, Barry Bonds recorded his 601st blast under unusual circumstances. Facing Florida Marlins rookie pitcher Josh Beckett, the San Francisco Giants slugger blasted a home run that also broke his bat in dramatic fashion.
There have been a lot of broken bat home runs in the history of the MLB, but none have splintered to such a degree. It was one of the more memorable home runs of his career.
