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San Francisco Celebrates Bonds' Home Run

It's "Barry Bonds Day" in San Francisco. The mayor proclaimed it after the Giants' slugger finally broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run record Tuesday night, and fans on Wednesday were still reliving the big moment.

With a hometown crowd in a packed stadium, the stage was set for Bonds to make history, and in the fifth inning, he did – by hitting No. 756. Among the cheering fans was Jim Easton of Fresno, Calif.

On Wednesday, as some tried to rain on the celebration with talk of Bonds and steroids, Easton was in no mood for it.

"I don't pay attention to it," Easton says. "Let the courts sort it out and let history sort it out. Right now, I just want to live for the moment like he does."

Near the corner of Third and King in San Francisco at AT&T Park, about a hundred people are waiting in line at the team souvenir shop — all of them looking to buy memorabilia of Bonds' historic home run.

Roland Saavalano of San Francisco has an armful of Giants T-shirts. He's trying to make up for the fact that he missed last night's game.

"I tell you, that's the good thing about someone like Barry Bonds getting a record and everyone can celebrate it. Jesus Christ, it's a good feeling," he says.

And that feeling will last a while. As the mayor proclaimed the day dedicated to Bonds, he promised that a citywide celebration will come soon.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Richard Gonzales is NPR's National Desk Correspondent based in San Francisco. Along with covering the daily news of region, Gonzales' reporting has included medical marijuana, gay marriage, drive-by shootings, Jerry Brown, Willie Brown, the U.S. Ninth Circuit, the California State Supreme Court and any other legal, political, or social development occurring in Northern California relevant to the rest of the country.