SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The San Francisco Giants announced that the team will retire uniform number 25 and celebrate the career of Giants great Barry Bonds on Saturday, August 11 when the club hosts the Pittsburgh Pirates at 6:05 p.m. at AT&T Park. In addition to a pre-game number retirement ceremony, the first 20,000 fans will receive a #25 cap.
Bonds will join an elite group of New York and San Francisco Giants players as the 12th player to receive this honor. Bonds wore number 25 in his 15 seasons with the Giants from 1993-2007. He will join Orlando Cepeda (30), Juan Marichal (27), Willie Mays (24), Willie McCovey (44) and Gaylord Perry (36) as the sixth member of the San Francisco Giants to have his uniform number retired. New York Giants legends whose numbers have been retired include: Bill Terry (3), Mell Ott (4), Carl Hubbell (11) and Monte Irvin (20). Christy Mathewson and John McGraw – who both predated numbers on jerseys – have also received this honor.
“No other Giants player has worn number 25 since Barry’s final season. It’s time to officially retire his number in honor of his remarkable 22-year career as one of the greatest players of all time and for his countless achievements and contributions as a Giant,” said Giants president and CEO Laurence M. Baer. “Barry grew up with the Giants and followed in the footsteps of his Godfather Willie Mays and another Giant legend who also wore number 25 — his late father, Bobby. By officially retiring number 25, we will not only pay tribute to Barry as the greatest player of his generation, but also honor the legacy of two of the greatest players to ever wear a Giants uniform.”
“I’m both honored and humbled that the Giants are going to retire my number this season. As I’ve always said, the Giants and Giants fans, are a part of my family. Growing up, Candlestick Park was my home away from home, and it is where my dad and godfather Willie played. For me to have played on the same field as them, wear the same uniform and now have my number retired, joining Willie and the other Giants legends is extremely special. Number 25 has meant a lot to me throughout my career and it is even more special that I got to share that with my dad,” said Bonds.
Bonds, who currently serves in the Giants front office as a Special Advisor, signed with the Giants in 1993. He spent his final 15 Major League seasons in a San Francisco uniform, compiling a .312 batting average with 381 doubles, 41 triples, 586 home runs and 1,440 RBI in 1,976 games. He can be found throughout the SF-era record books, ranking in the top 10 for batting average (first), games (third), at-bats (third – 6,263), runs (first – 1,555), hits (third – 1,951), doubles (first), triples (fourth), home runs (first), RBI (first), stolen bases (first – 263) and walks (first – 1,947).
Bonds won seven NL MVP awards, eight Gold Glove awards and received 14 All-Star selections during his storied 22-year Major League career with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-92) and San Francisco Giants (1993-2007). He was a two-time winner of the National League batting title and the lone member of baseball’s 500 homer-500 steal club holds Major League Baseball’s all-time records for home runs (762) and walks (2,558).