After spending much of the second half of the season in second place, chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants are in the World Series.
More surprising than the Giants playing this deep in October for the third time in five years is this…Barry Bonds, who recently underwent hip surgery, was on the field at AT&T Park as a guest of the team.
Just as surprised as the more than 43,000 in attendance was Bonds’ son Niko.
HOVG: Prior to the Giants Game Four victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, your dad surprised many when he showed up on the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. What was going through your mind when you say your dad heading out to the mound and, more specifically, what did you think of the favorable response he received?
NIKO: The first thing I thought of was “I hope his hip is okay”. But I was just so happy to see that smile on his face. The feeling was amazing for not only my dad but my entire family. As for the reception, I think it was perfect. The city loves my dad. He is literally a child of San Francisco and to hear the “Barry” chants was awesome.
HOVG: What did he have to say about the experience?
NIKO: He didn’t say much. He was just happy to be a part of the ceremony and the team. My dad put his heart into that team and the city. I know he was beyond happy to be a part of something that he lived for so many years of his life.
HOVG: But it wasn’t all roses in San Francisco. Before his triumphant return to the park he put on the map, he’s been (at times) vilified by many across baseball. As his son, what’s been the hardest part about everything your dad has had to endure over the last decade?
NIKO: The hardest part for me is when you really think about it…his job was to entertain. And he did a damn good job entertaining not only the city of San Francisco, but baseball fans across the world. To see a man get crucified for entertaining people made and still makes no sense to me. They literally treated him like he was a convict. It was just sad to watch a man who put his mind, body, and soul into something just get treated the way he did.
HOVG: How has that affected your relationship?
NIKO: What my father went through just brought us closer. I will always be his biggest fan and number one supporter. That will never change. I’ve always got my dad’s back and he knows that.
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HOVG: How do you respond to people who don’t recognize Barry Bonds as baseball’s home run champ?
NIKO: Everybody is entitled to their opinion. At the end of the day, in the record book, it says he is the home run champion and that’s all that matters. You’re only hated if you’re the best…so he must be the king. He’s the home run champ no matter what people say. And until someone hits 763, that’s where he will stay.
HOVG: A few months ago, the BBWAA reduced the number of years a Hall of Fame candidate can appear on the ballot from 15 years to ten. Do you think that helps or hurts the candidacy of players like your dad who have hovered around 34-36%? And why?
NIKO: I believe it can both hurt and help the players. It could make them wise up quicker and vote him in faster or it could not be enough time for people to come around. It’s really hard to say until we see how many votes he gets (in 2015). At the end of the day, I believe my father will be in Hall of Fame. He should’ve been a first ballot Hall of Famer, but it’s in the hands of people who are very opinionated and, at the end of the day, it’s hard to change people’s opinions. People like Ty Cobb are in the Hall. When they want to say integrity is a factor, (this) means they are all hypocrites anyway, so they can have their opinion. My father helps more people than most, he played the game his very best and he accomplished feats that people said were impossible. Whether they vote him in or not he’s a Hall of Famer to the people that mean most to him and I believe that’s all that matters at the end of the day.
HOVG: Lastly, was there ever pressure to go into the “family business”?
NIKO: I was never pressured by my family at all. More from outside people but my family always just wanted me to be happy.
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Nikolai “Niko” Bonds is a model and musician. You can follow him on Twitter at @NikolaiBonds and on Instagram.
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