When Hank Aaron expressed his disappointment at Barry Bonds' use of PEDs to best his Home Run record: "It's hard for me to digest..that Barry cheated"

In a 2020 interview, Hank Aaron opened up about Barry Bonds' use of PEDs. Aaron said it was hard for him to know that Barry had cheated, yet he felt that he still deserved to be considered the true "MLB Home Run King."

Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds are synonymous with Home Runs in the MLB. Bonds surpassed Aaron's record for the most home runs ever hit after smashing his 756th career home run on August 7, 2007. Aaron had himself crossed legendary Babe Ruth's record to get there.

Both players enjoyed major longevity in their careers and notched up multiple individual accolades. However, one thing that set them apart was Barry Bonds' admission to using Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) to achieve such distinction.

When asked in an interview how he felt knowing Barry had cheated, Hank Aaron said that he would stick to his earlier commitment to consider Bonds the true Home Run King. However, it was hard for him to digest that Bonds had to cheat to get there.

"I do. I do consider him [the rightful Home Run leader]. I knew Barry's father very well and I got to know Barry a little bit. It is kind of hard for me to digest and come to realize that Barry cheated in the home runs, that Barry cheated to get to that," Hank said.

Barry Bonds was one of the major names that cropped up during the BALCO congressional hearings that rocked the MLB in 2007. During the hearings, Bonds had pleaded innocence to using PEDs. After continuous prosecutor scrutiny, he was indicted for perjury and lying to the court about the use of PEDs.

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"Barry Bonds and others with steroid use deserve a place in the Hall of Fame," says Aaron

When asked whether players who have extensively used steroids in the past deserve a place in the MLB Hall of Fame, Aaron said:

"Yes. Yes, they deserve a place. We have had so many cheaters in the Hall of Fame. I don't see any reason why Barry or anyone else didn't belong there."

Aaron has always been very lenient in his statements about athletes known to have used steroids. That has a lot to do with the type of person Hank Aaron is in real life. He is probably one of the biggest names to come out of the MLB with zero scandals behind him.

Steroid usage dominated the world of baseball in the late 90s. Like Barry Bonds, many other star players like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and even Alex Rodriguez admitted to using PEDs.

Bonds' plea for the case against him for perjury was upheld in 2013 before finally being overturned in 2015. However, he would not make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame, falling short of the required 75% votes.