No Hall of Fame induction for Barry Bonds, but maybe this honor will do for now

It’s not the ultimate honor for controversial baseball legend Barry Bonds, that elusive induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

But for now, Bonds might appreciate the San Francisco Giants’ latest gesture to honor the man with the most home runs in major league history.

Bonds, 52, will be enshrined on the Giants’ Wall of Fame prior to a July 8 game against the Miami Marlins.

Bonds, who spent 15 of his 22 years with the Giants, hit 762 home runs, seven more than former Home Run King Hank Aaron.

But because Bonds was strongly linked to the use of performance enhancing drugs while playing in baseball’s “Steroid Era,” he continues to lag in annual voting for the Hall of Fame.

As part of his Wall of Fame ceremony, Bonds will receive a plaque on the brick wall outside AT&T Park prior to the Giants playing a Marlins club that Bonds had served as hitting coach just last season.

He will be the 49th honoree, with the franchise limiting its roll to those who played at least nine years with San Francisco or five seasons with at least one All-Star selection as a Giant.

Bonds also will have his No. 25 jersey retired at some point, though it’s not scheduled this year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

As of right now, Bonds would be the first player to have his jersey retired by the Giants despite not being in the Hall of Fame.

The Wall of Fame honor and pending jersey retirement are part of Bonds’ deal with the Giants after agreeing this spring to work as a special adviser to Chief Executive Officer Larry Baer. Bonds attends community events and helps instruct minor league players as part of his role.

Bonds set the home run record in 2007. The Giants parted ways and he went unsigned by any other major league team.

This story was originally published May 17, 2017 at 6:47 PM with the headline "No Hall of Fame induction for Barry Bonds, but maybe this honor will do for now."