Legendary outfielder Barry Bonds to be inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates' Hall of Fame

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Tuesday that former slugger Barry Bonds will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in August, along with Jim Leyland and Manny Sanguillen.

The legendary outfielder spent the first seven years of his illustrious major league career in Pittsburgh before going on to join the San Francisco Giants. Bonds is widely considered one of the greatest sluggers the game has ever seen, despite the controversies along the way and he was full of smiles after hearing the news on Tuesday.

Barry Bonds was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1984 MLB Draft and went on to make his major league debut the following year. He established himself as one of the best sluggers of his generation and he ended his career as one of the most decorated players ever. He currently holds the MLB records for the highest career home runs and highest home runs in a single season, among several others.

After he ended his playing days with the San Francisco Giants in 2007, Bonds' number 25 jersey number was retired and he was soon inducted into the team's HOF.

However, due to the controversy surrounding the use of PEDs over the course of his career, the slugger was not inducted into the MLB HOF over the ten years he was eligible. Hence, when the Pirates announced his name in HOF class of 2024, he was filled with pride and happiness.

Barry Bonds' reaction to his imminent induction into the Pittsburgh Pirates HOF

Soon after they announced that Barry Bonds is one of the three former players who will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in August, the Pittsburgh Pirates released a video of the former MLB slugger. It features the legendary sugger in an interview where he is given the news. An emotional Bonds reacted, saying:

"It's great. That's where my career started. That's who drafted me. I couldn't have had a better manager, a better team, a better starting point for me. It was perfect."

Jim Leyland and Manny Sanguillen are the two other names who will be inducted into the team's HOF alongside the former SF Giants slugger this year.