On February 5, 2025, the Mayor of San Francisco, Daniel Lurie, declared the day as “Barry Bonds Day” at City Hall to honor the contributions of Barry Bonds, the star player of the San Francisco Giants, to baseball and the city.
During the award ceremony, Mayor Lurie expressed, “Since joining the San Francisco Giants in 1993, Bonds brought baseball back to the city of San Francisco… Today, we not only celebrate Bonds’ contributions to baseball, but also thank him for everything he has done for San Francisco, helping many young people in the community through charitable endeavors.” His achievements go beyond the baseball field.
The Mayor also paid tribute to Willie Mays, Bonds’ godfather and mentor, who passed away in June last year, by proclaiming February 5, 2025, as “Barry Bonds Day”, following the establishment of “Willie Mays Day” on February 4, 2024.
According to the Mayor, this day continues the tradition of honoring baseball superstars, following the proclamation of “Willie Mays Day” by former Mayor London Breed on February 4, 2024, to commemorate the outstanding contributions of the baseball legend to the Giants and San Francisco.
Mays, whose jersey number was 24, had February 4, 2024, designated as his memorial day, and Bonds, with jersey number 25, had February 5, 2025, dedicated as “Barry Bonds Day”.
Upon receiving the certificate of recognition, Bonds expressed deep gratitude, thanking God first and reflecting, “It is significant to celebrate these two important days, February 5, 2025, and February 4, 2024, standing here today… Special thanks to my godfather Mays and my family. Thanks to my children for their constant companionship and help in keeping me disciplined; thanks to my parents for their nurturing and guidance.”
He said, “Today makes me feel awe-inspired because I grew up in San Francisco.” Bonds left his hometown to attend college, later joining the Pittsburgh Pirates and ultimately returning to his hometown with the Giants. He thanked the Giants for bringing him back to San Francisco and serving the great city. “San Francisco embraced me and my family with open arms,” Bonds said, expressing his gratitude for the love and support, “which I will always, always, always cherish!”
As one of the greatest players in baseball history, Bonds amassed a total of 762 home runs in his career, becoming the home run king in Major League Baseball history. Additionally, he holds records for most home runs in a single season (73), most walks (2,558), and most intentional walks (688).
He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-1992) and the San Francisco Giants (1993-2007). In 2018, his number 25 jersey was officially retired by the Giants, and he currently serves as a special advisor to Giants CEO Larry Baer.
Apart from his outstanding performance on the baseball field, Bonds has been actively involved in charity work over the years. Through the Barry Bonds Family Foundation, he has promoted youth education and development programs to help African American and underprivileged youth access better educational resources. Over the past 30 years, he and his family have donated millions of dollars to various community initiatives.
To commemorate “Barry Bonds Day”, Oracle Park in San Francisco lit up with orange lights in the evening, showing respect for this legendary baseball star.