Barry Bonds hit numerous milestone home runs during his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. Bonds ranks among the greatest baseball players of all time and was for much of his career considered a five-tool player. By 1998, he was considered among the 50 greatest players of all time by The Sporting News, and after winning the National League's Most Valuable Player Award four consecutive times from 2001 to 2004, he was listed into the top 10 in the 2005 list.Smith, Rod, Baseball's 100 Greatest Players: Second Edition, Sporting News, , 2005. He currently holds numerous Major League Baseball records for home runs, bases on balls, intentional bases on balls, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, as well as a record seven regular season MVP awards.

In baseball, the home run is one of the most popular aspects of the game. Thus, the career record for home runs is among the most important and respected records in baseball. The road to this record has been closely followed and each additional home run Bonds hits extends the current record further. On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds became the major leagues' career home run champion by hitting his 756th career home run, which surpassed Hank Aaron's total.

Quite often milestone home runs such as round hundred and career records are considered breaking news, and sports news services give coverage to countdowns on impending milestone home runs. Several of Bonds' milestone home runs were given dedicated coverage on ESPN BottomLine, with Chasing Ruth and Chasing Aaron coverage being quite extensive for the few seasons preceding the breaking of the record. Sports collectible dealers and buyers pay exorbitant sums for paraphernalia associated with such milestones. The Baseball Hall of Fame covets such paraphernalia for display. In fact, players are even sensitive to the way in which their paraphernalia is displayed. A baseball that was hit for a milestone causes such a mêlée and such hysteria that special balls have to be used to stop counterfeiting, and police escorts are necessary for those who catch such balls.

Because of Bonds' versatility even some of his early milestones were quite significant. Barry Bonds' milestone home runs have received extensive coverage since his 300th made him the fourth member of the 300–300 club which also included his godfather Willie Mays and father Bobby Bonds. His 400th home run also received national coverage, and his 400–400 feat was a motivating goal and is widely cited as a testament to his greatness. His 500th home run was part of a memorable 2001 Major League Baseball season of milestones in which he hit a record 73 home runs in a single season and surpassed many baseball legends. His 554th home run and 60th of the season sold for US$5000. His 567th and 73rd of the season sold for $500,000, which was far less than the $3 million for which Mark McGwire's 70th had been sold three years earlier. Bonds' 660th home run was more celebrated than his 661st because it put him in the same company as his own godfather on the all-time list. Bonds' 600th and 700th home runs both were widely followed and reported in the media because they placed him such elite company. Bonds' 756th home run sold for $752,467 (including a 20% commission). Below is a list of Barry Bonds' milestone home runs.

Milestone home runs HRDateAgeTeamPitcherOpponentVenueScore(Before,After at-bat,Final)Situation (Inning, Out(s), # of Pitch(es),(Count))Base runner(s)Notes and Significance1st Wednesday, June 4th, 1986 21 y, 315 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Craig McMurtry Atlanta Braves Fulton County Stadium 10–211–212–3 T5 2outs 4,(2-1) --- 2nd Friday, June 6th, 1986 21 y, 317 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Ron Darling New York Mets Three Rivers Stadium 2–14–17–1 B5 2outs -2- 7th Saturday, July 5th, 1986 21 y, 346 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Orel Hershiser Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium 1–04–05–0 T2 2outs 1-3 16th Tuesday, September 23rd, 1986 22 y, 61 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed closing pitcher (RHP) Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Phillies Three Rivers Stadium 4–56–56–5 B9 1out 1-- 23rd Wednesday, June 10th, 1987 22 y, 321 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Tim Burke Montreal Expos Stade Olympique 2–33–33–4 T8 2outs --- 29th Saturday, July 6th, 1987 22 y, 347 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Jeff Robinson San Francisco Giants Three Rivers Stadium 4–65–65–7 B8 1out --- 32nd Tuesday, July 28th, 1987 23 y, 4 d Pittsburgh Pirates Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Shane Rawley Philadelphia Phillies Three Rivers Stadium 0–52–52–5 B8 2outs 1-- 50th Friday, May 13th, 1988 23 y, 294 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Ron Robinson Cincinnati Reds Three Rivers Stadium 0–01–06–5 B1 0out 3,(1-1) --- 91st Tuesday, May 22nd, 1990 25 y, 302 d Pittsburgh Pirates Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Dan Schatzeder Houston Astros Astrodome 0–04–08–4 T3 2outs 8,(2-2) 123 100th Thursday, July 12th, 1990 25 y, 353 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Andy Benes San Diego Padres Three Rivers Stadium 0–03–04–3 B1 2outs 3,(2-0) 12- 150th Saturday, May 2nd, 1992 27 y, 283 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Xavier Hernandez Houston Astros Astrodome 3–06–06–0 T7 2outs 4,(1-2) 1-3 174th Saturday, September 26th, 1992 28 y, 64 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Wally Whitehurst New York Mets Three Rivers Stadium 6–19–119–2 B2 0out 5,(2-2) --3 176th Sunday, October 4th, 1992 28 y, 72 d Pittsburgh Pirates Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Bret Saberhagen New York Mets Shea Stadium 1–02–02–0 T7 1out 4,(2-1) --- 177th Wednesday, April 7th, 1993 28 y, 257 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Rhéal Cormier St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium II 0–61–62–6 T7 0out 1,(0-0) --- 200th Thursday, July 8th, 1993 28 y, 349 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) José DeLeón Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium 11–112–113–2 T7 0out 1,(0-0) --- 250th Monday, July 18th, 1994 29 y, 359 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Shawn Boskie Philadelphia Phillies Veterans Stadium 4–06–07–5 T2 1out 2,(1-0) --3 300th Saturday, April 27th, 1996 31 y, 278 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) John Burkett Florida Marlins Candlestick Park 2–04–06–3 B3 0out 1,(0-0) -2- 350th Sunday, June 22nd, 1997 32 y, 333 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Chan Ho Park Los Angeles Dodgers Candlestick Park 1–12–14–2 B4 0out 2,(0-1) --- 400th Sunday, August 23rd, 1998 34 y, 30 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Kirt Ojala Florida Marlins Pro Player Stadium 3–04–010–5 T3 1out 3,(1-1) --- 450th Saturday, April 15th, 2000 35 y, 266 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Todd Stottlemyre Arizona Diamondbacks Pacific Bell Park 0–01–04–7 B1 2outs 2,(0-1) --- 500th Tuesday, April 17th, 2001 36 y, 267 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Terry Adams Los Angeles Dodgers Pacific Bell Park 1–23–23–2 B8 0out 3,(2-0) --3 550th Monday, August 27th, 2001 37 y, 34 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Kevin Appier New York Mets Shea Stadium 2–13–16–5 T5 0out 2,(1-0) --- 554th Thursday, September 6th, 2001 37 y, 44 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Albie Lopez Arizona Diamondbacks Pacific Bell Park 4–25–29–5 B2 2outs 6,(2-2) --- 564th Thursday, October 4th, 2001 37 y, 72 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed relief pitcher (LHP) Wilfredo Rodríguez Houston Astros Minute Maid Park 9–210–210–2 T9 0out 3,(1-1) --- 565th Friday, October 5th, 2001 37 y, 73 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Chan Ho Park Los Angeles Dodgers Pacific Bell Park 0–51–510–11 B1 2outs 2,(1-0) --- 567th Sunday, October 7th, 2001 37 y, 75 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Dennis Springer Los Angeles Dodgers Pacific Bell Park 0–01–02–1 B1 2outs 6,(3-2) --- 600th Friday, August 9th, 2002 38 y, 16 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Kip Wells Pittsburgh Pirates Pacific Bell Park 2–43–43–4 B6 2outs 4,(2-1) --- 650th Tuesday, August 12th, 2003 39 y, 19 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) David Weathers New York Mets Shea Stadium 3–54–54–5 T9 1out 7,(3-2) --- 660th Monday, April 12th, 2004 39 y, 263 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Matt Kinney Milwaukee Brewers SBC Park 2–45–47–5 B5 2outs 5,(3-1) 12- 661st Tuesday, April 13th, 2004 39 y, 264 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Ben Ford Milwaukee Brewers SBC Park 3–14–14–2 B7 2outs 4,(1-2) --- 700th Friday, September 17th, 2004 40 y, 55 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Jake Peavy San Diego Padres SBC Park 3–04–04–1 B3 0out 2,(0-1) --- 714th Saturday, May 20th, 2006 41 y, 300 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Brad Halsey Oakland Athletics McAfee Coliseum 0–11–14–2 T2 0out 3,(1-1) --- 715th Sunday, May 28th, 2006 41 y, 308 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Byung-hyun Kim Colorado Rockies AT&T Park 0–62–63–6 B4 0out 6,(3-2) 1-- 733rd Friday, September 22nd, 2006 42 y, 60 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed relief pitcher (RHP) Chris Spurling Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park 8–1011–1012–13 T6 1out 3,(2-0) 12- 734th Saturday, September 23rd, 2006 42 y, 61 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Chris Capuano Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park 1–62–68–10 T3 1out 2,(1-0) --- 750th Friday, June 29th, 2007 42 y, 340 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Liván Hernández Arizona Diamondbacks AT&T Park 2–33–33–4 B8 0out 6,(3-2) --- 755th Saturday, August 4th, 2007 43 y, 11 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Clay Hensley San Diego Padres Petco Park 0–11–12–3 T2 0out 4,(2-1) --- 756th Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 43 y, 14 d San Francisco Giants Left-handed starting pitcher (LHP) Mike Bacsik Washington Nationals AT&T Park 4–45–46–8 B5 1out 7,(3-2) --- 762nd Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 43 y, 43 d San Francisco Giants Right-handed starting pitcher (RHP) Ubaldo Jiménez Colorado Rockies Coors Field 0–02–05–3 T1 2outs 5,(1-2) -2-

Career home run leaders

Through the 2025 Major League Baseball season, the following are the career home run leaders:

All-time Barry Bonds 762 Hank Aaron 755 Babe Ruth 714 Albert Pujols 703 Alex Rodriguez 696 Willie Mays 660Active 40. Giancarlo Stanton 453 59. Mike Trout 404 82. Paul Goldschmidt 372

See also

Progression of the single-season MLB home run record

Notes