‘I sleep next to him’ – Barry Bonds once paid a bizarre tribute to the MLB legend who doubles as his godfather

Known as “Say Hey Kid,” Willie Mays is a baseball legend, known for his impressive combination of speed and power at bat and his iconic defense in center field. A member of his 3,000-hitting club with 660 home runs, he is considered one of the greatest all-around players in his league history.

Another player who has left a lasting impact on the game is Barry Bonds, known as ‘Home Ranking’. He is also recognized as an all-around player, winning the NL MVP award seven times, the Silver Slugger award he has 12 times, and the All-Star award he has been named 14 times.

Barry Bonds prank on Willie Mays

Barry Bonds is not only a legendary player in his own right, but he has a special connection with Willie Mays. He is May’s godson and mentee. In a playful nod to their relationship, Bonds once shared a photo on Instagram of Mays in a deep sleep, with Bonds himself glowing right beside him.

The caption that Bonds wrote with the photo was cheeky, but very grateful to Mays. “Yes go to bed. #SayHey Willie Mays and yes I sleep next to him. Proud to have the best godfather in the world. You and me and my family Willie.” I love everything you’ve done for me.”

How did this relationship come about?

Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds (father of Barry Bonds) were not only teammates who spent time together for the San Francisco Giants from 1968 to 1972, they were also pioneers in baseball history. Mays was nearing the end of his remarkable career when Bobby Bonds joined the team.

dive deeper

But their connection went beyond the ballpark. Bobby Bonds was bringing his five-year-old son to the clubhouse. A young Bonds spent his days chasing fly balls on the field with his father and has since been with his godfather, Willie Mays.

In an interview with SFGate, Mays confided about those days. “When Barry was about five years old, I used to come over because I had four or five cases of bubblegum in my locker. I was.

This is the sweet beginning of a decades-long relationship, not only as godfather and godson, but as mentor and mentee.

Watch this story: Top 5 richest baseball players of all time