Barry Bonds to the World: "Thank You"

That's it. He's done it. Barry Bonds has just become Major League Baseball's new All-Time Home Run King, as Dave O'Brien alluded to in his historic call.

It was an isolating moment that is now frozen in time, captivating the minds of countless fans who were questioning if it was really happening. In the end, though, everyone knew it was number 756 from the moment it struck the bat.

Bonds realized it before anyone else, and his actions told the story for the rest of the baseball world. He turned, faced the hit, and clutched his fists in the air, creating a classic image that will go down in history for years to come. It was gone, and he knew it.

"I knew I hit it. I knew I got it," said Barry after the game.

In a game in which the Giants lost, the lasting memory will be one at-bat - one swing. It came in the bottom of the 5^th inning against pitcher, Mike Bacsik. Barry Bonds stepped into the batter's box having gone 2-for-2 to that point in the game. He worked the pitching count to 3-2 (three balls and two strikes), and the crowd grew louder, chanting, "Barry, Barry, Barry," as if they knew his historic homerun was coming on the next pitch. And then it happened. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Bonds swung and hit his record setting 756^th homerun.

In one sense, it was just another homerun - a sight which has become familiar - but in another sense, it was much more. This was the first time many baseball fans have seen anything like this happen, because a lot of current baseball fans were not born when Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth 33 years ago.

It was something for everyone to celebrate: The Bonds family, fans, media, Bud Selig, Major League Baseball, and even Hank Aaron.

In fact, on a night where Bonds was supposed to be in the spotlight, Hank Aaron made the biggest splash of all. He congratulated Bonds by video feed on the Giants big-screen television in centerfield.

"I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds...It is a great accomplishment ...I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement," noted Aaron.

Even Bonds admitted that was the best part of the night. "When I saw Hank Aaron that made everything," He said. "That made my whole career. It's the best thing I've ever seen."

Dusty Baker, Bonds' former coach, knew it meant a lot to Bonds. "I think it means everything to Barry...It means a lot to him that Hank Aaron came on the screen - probably to his surprise."

Aaron's speech perceivably moved Bonds, as Barry acted honorably in showing reverence for Aaron. He said, "
Clearly, Bonds was thankful, as he continued to take the right steps towards changing his public image.

A big step was thanking his teammates who have obviously played a vital role in his life as he has traveled on the "Road to History." He said, "You've given me all the support in the world, and I'll never forget it as long as I live."

Barry brought some humor to scene when he recognized his family. "I got to thank my family...I'm glad I did it before you guys went to school," he said.

Throughout the night, he thanked many people, but the most emotional recognition he made was to his dad, who passed away a few years ago. "I got to thank my dad...Thank you for everything. Thank you," a choked up Bonds struggled to get out.

While people anticipated the homerun, this night was all about the unexpected events. In addition to Aaron's message, Bud Selig called to congratulate Bonds.

In his official statement, Selig said, "Today is a day for congratulation on a truly remarkable achievement."

The task was not easy, and it was not without controversy, but in the end, as can be seen, everything fell in place. From Bonds to Aaron to Selig, everything was done the right way. That made it a priceless night for Barry Bonds, his family, Major League Baseball, and many fans around the nation.

On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds made history.

"He wanted to do it here at home," said Rick Sutcliffe, who announced the game on ESPN, "and he did it tonight."