In 1997 as a minor league hitting instructor for the San Francisco Giants, Bobby Bonds Sr. spent a part of the season working with one of two California League affiliates, the Bakersfield Blaze. As one of the Blaze play-by-play announcers I became acquainted with Bobby.
In the city of Bakersfield was a young boy named Trevor who was stricken with Leukemia. During conversations with his father, a local fireman, I found out that Trevor was a big fan of Barry Bonds. I approached Bobby one day and told him about the young man's illness and his admiration for Barry. I said that if there was anything Barry would like to do, it would be wonderful but that I understood the many requests he receives as one of the top players in baseball. A few weeks later, Bobby returned with an autographed bat, 8 x 10 portrait, and baseball along with a ball autographed by the entire team and an official Giants cap. Needless to say, Trevor was absolutely thrilled.
At a later date when Bobby Bonds Jr. was in Bakersfield to play for the San Jose Giants both Senior and Junior met with the young man and his family. Trevor, at one point, recounted to his parents that it had been worth it being ill to experience what he had with the Bonds family. For a time, the young man's illness went into remission but the following year it returned and he passed away.
Though Barry Bonds' public persona doesn't always endear him to the press and to fans I will always remember the kind gesture he made to a young fan who was dying of Leukemia.
» Dale Parsons is the play-by-play announcer for basketball at the University of California Riverside and has conducted close to 300 major league interviews.
Also by Dale Parsons
» Nolan Ryan Attempts Back-to-Back No-hitters
» Bobby Bonds
» Mike Caruso: In the Minors
» More submissions
Posted November 18, 2002.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
