Barry Bonds Ties Hank Aaron

One swing away.

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Barry Bonds swung, took a half-dozen steps and clapped his hands. With no trace of a smile but a strong shot for all the doubters, he caught Hank Aaron and tied the career home run record Saturday night.

No. 755 was an opposite-field drive to left field, moving Bonds within one swing of having baseball's pinnacle of power all to himself.

Commissioner Bud Selig stood up and put his hands in his pockets while Bonds' family hugged and high-fived. When Bonds crossed the plate, he lifted his batboy son, Nikolai, and carried him several steps in an embrace.

The Petco Park crowd stood and cheered, with some boos mixed in, when the San Francisco slugger homered off Clay Hensley in the second inning. Several fans held up asterisk signs.

What If Barry Just Opts Out Before 755?

Putting aside all the steroid allegations (and that's all they are in my book: allegations, yunno, innocent until proven guilty and all), with the San Francisco Giants on their way to yet another abysmal season, thus, him having no hope of getting that ever elusive World Series ring anyway, what if Barry got to 754 and just decided to quit? I mean, it's not like he needs to stay in it for the money, he's going to the Hall of Fame anyway and he'll have the single-season record (and many others) for quite awhile. Considering all that Hank Aaron went through getting to 715, to me, the record just belongs to him and for that reason alone, Bonds would be doing the right thing if he decided to just walk away before 755.

75% Of Blacks Support Bonds

Interesting poll done by ABC and ESPN on Barry Bonds, steroids and fan reaction to his soon breaking Hank Aaron's all-time home-run record. Personally, I've never bought into Bonds knowingly doing steroids, but I still wish he had stayed retired only because to me the record should always belong to Hammerin' Hank.