Q: Are Barry Bonds and Willie Mays Related?

A: Not quite, but close. The legendary Willie Mays is actually Barry Bonds’ godfather. So, for Barry to have Bobby Bonds (a 14-year MLB slugger in his own right) as his father, and “Say Hey” Willie Mays as his godfather, you could’ve guessed that Barry had a baseball career in his future. As a kid, Barry didn’t get along so well with his power-hitting papa, however, who played for seven different teams and was often away from home. But by the time Barry made the majors himself in 1986, his youthful ambivalence seemed to have dissipated.

Since then, Barry, Bobby, and Willie haven’t just stayed close (Bobby passed away in 2003); they’ve stayed statistically close, as well. In the 100-years-plus history of baseball, only four men have hit at least 300 home runs and stolen 300 bases in their careers. Three of them are Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, and – you guessed it – Barry Bonds.

Article Author: Mental_Floss

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