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Barry Bonds broke the record, did he?
For one spectacular moment, Barry Bonds and
everybody cheering him could forget about the
controversy surrounding his chase and appreciate the
phenomenal feat: 756.
Nobody in the majors -- not Hank Aaron, not Babe
Ruth -- has ever hit more home runs than the San
Francisco star.
On Tuesday night, in his home ballpark, it didn't
matter how many of them might have been fueled by
steroids or performance-enhancers. Bonds has the
title of home run king all to himself, ending
Aaron's 33-year reign.
"This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period,"
Bonds said.
And more than 43,000 adoring Giants fans, including
his godfather, Hall of Famer Willie Mays, surely
agreed.
Bonds raised both arms over his head like a prize
fighter in victory, fists clenched -- and then he
took off. It was over at long last.
Bonds did it with a shot to the deepest part of the
ballpark with one out in the fifth inning against
Washington's Mike Bacsik.
Who could break Barry's home run record?
Now that Barry Bonds has broken Hank Aaron's all-time
record, it's time to consider who could be the next
to ascend the mountain.
Several players have at least an outside chance of
out-homering Bonds. Sluggers like David Ortiz and
Ryan Howard got a late start, but a long career of
sustained power could give them a shot at greatness.
Adam Dunn, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera's home
run totals aren't gaudy yet, but their youth and
early power surges make them potential ascendees of
the list. Older sluggers like Andruw Jones, Manny
Ramirez, and Alex Rodriguez have both time and
statistics on their side. Regardless of who makes a
run, it's clear that Barry Bonds has set a lofty
standard.
Which slugger has the best shot (stats current as of
07/07/30)? Rank your best below!
1. Alex Rodríguez
2. Ken Griffey Jr.
3. Manny Ramírez
4. Albert Pujols
5. Ryan Howard
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