Barry Bonds cleared the bases more than any man in Major League Baseball history. Now, he's cleared of all charges — and in his mind, a clear Cooperstown candidate.
Bonds' ongoing saga with obstruction of justice charges ended on July 21 when the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would not challenge the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to overturn Bonds' 2011 conviction — a conviction that stemmed from a misleading answer Bonds gave to a federal grand jury in 2003 when questioned about drugs and supplements supplied to him by his personal trainer.
MORE: MLB's 500 HR Club, in images | If Bonds had played in 2008
In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, Bonds admitted that the overturned charges resulted in a "weight lifted off (his) shoulders." But there's another burden he refuses to carry. Bonds feels he belongs among baseball's best in Cooperstown; he feels no need to justify his Hall of Fame credentials.
"Every player who's ever played against me knows my ability, and that's something I will never, ever have to explain," Bonds told AP.
Bonds can always point to the stat ledger. Though mired in steroid suspicion and unofficial asterisks, Bonds remains the all-time leader in career home runs (with 762), a seven-time MVP, a 14-time All-Star and the holder of several single-season distinctions.
His 73 home runs in 2001 will likely remain the single-season record for some time. In separate seasons, he has led his league in home runs (twice), RBIs, runs scored, batting average (twice), on-base percentage (10 times), walks (12 times) and slugging (seven times). No slouch in the field, he also earned eight Gold Glove awards.
But Cooperstown remains an uphill climb for the embattled Bonds. In 2015, he received just 36.8 percent of BWAA votes; he needs 75 percent to join the Hall. Outwardly, he accepts that. Inwardly, he remains content with his accomplishments.
"I'm not going to hold a grudge," Bonds said in the AP interview. "I know what I brought to the game. I'm proud of that."
Bonds has seven years remaining on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, and a large contingent to convince. So while the court system has decided to pass no more judgment on the disputed home run king, the court of public opinion and the court of Cooperstown remains in disbelieving deliberation.