This Day in American History: Barry Bonds Breaks the Home Run Record

On this day in 2007, a 43-year-old slugger hit a baseball into the right-center field seats at his home ballpark and became the most controversial record-holder in baseball history.

In the fifth inning on August 7, 2007, San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds connected on a 3-2 pitch from Washington Nationals starter Mike Bacsik and drove it into the stands at AT&T Park for career home run No. 756 -- passing Hank Aaron's 33-year-old career record of 755. More than 43,000 fans, including Bonds's godfather Willie Mays, erupted as Bonds raised both arms overhead and rounded the bases for the final time as the game's new all-time home run king.

Aaron, who had said for years he had no interest in being present whenever his record fell, kept his word and stayed away -- but sent a taped video message that played on the stadium scoreboard during a 10-minute tribute, calling it "a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination" and offering Bonds his best wishes. Commissioner Bud Selig also stayed away, sending Hall of Famer Frank Robinson in his place -- a pointed absence widely read as a comment on the cloud of steroid allegations that had trailed Bonds for years. Bonds addressed it head-on afterward: "This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL3vNXIsEPM&time_continue=6&source_ve_path=NzY3NTg&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fsa%3DX%26sca_esv%3Dc8498f437f34a732%26rlz%3D1C5CHFA_enUS745US745%26sxsrf%3DAPpeQntr5PPMEEs4pfe3fIahAkJOpwMbjw%3A17

Bonds played out the remainder of his final season and retired with 762 career home runs, a total that still stands atop the all-time list nearly two decades later. In 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Bonds on perjury and obstruction charges related to his testimony about steroid use; his conviction on the obstruction count was later thrown out on appeal in 2015. Whatever the final verdict on the era he played in, no one has hit more home runs in a career than Barry Bonds.

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Also on this day:

• 1782 -- Gen. George Washington establishes the Badge of Military Merit, forerunner of the Purple Heart.

• 1942 -- U.S. Marines launch America's first offensive of World War II, landing on Guadalcanal.

• 1964 -- Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, expanding U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

• 1990 -- President George H.W. Bush orders U.S. forces to Saudi Arabia, beginning Operation Desert Shield.

Loved or loathed, the record book says what it says: 762 home runs, more than anyone in the history of the game.

Source: ESPN, NPR, Major League Baseball