MLB history: A look back at the 60 home run club

Barry Bonds – 2001

A case can be made for Barry Bonds as the greatest player in MLB history. The all time and single season home run leader, he is also one of eight players in the 300-300 club for homers and steals. He is also the only member in the 400-400 and 500-500 clubs, showing just how dominant he was.

His 2001 campaign was one for the ages. He started off the season with a home run on Opening Day, and in the middle of April, had a streak where he homered in six consecutive games. He had another six game home run streak in May, belting nine homers in that span.

Bonds drew 177 walks as no one wanted to pitch to him that year. However, he waited, ambushing those few strikes he received. He surpassed McGwire on October 5, belting two homers against Chan Ho Park to take over the single season lead. Bonds would finish the season with 73 homers, the single season record as he became the last player to hit 60 or more homers in a year.

As with McGwire and Sosa, Bonds’ accomplishments were shrouded in controversy. While he never failed a PED test, he was involved in the BALCO scandal as he was on their client list and was called to testify in front of a grand jury. In March 2011, he went to trial for obstruction of justice and three counts of perjury as there were claims he knowingly used PEDs, eventually being convicted on the obstruction charge. That conviction was thrown out four years later after a lengthy appeals process. Bonds also sued the league claiming that he was blackballed at the end of his career as he was unable to find a contract after the 2007 season.

Those charges, and his later admission that he used substances known as ‘cream’ and ‘clear,’ which he thought were flaxseed oils, certainly did not help his case. He also failed to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, although his 66.0% in 2022 was far closer than either McGwire or Sosa.