Nov. 19, 2009

TEMPE, Ariz. - Attendees of the recent ASU Baseball camp got the surprise of a lifetime when former Sun Devil star and Major League Baseball Home Run King Barry Bonds stopped by to speak with the campers.

Bonds visited his old stomping grounds of Packard Stadium to see Coach Pat Murphy and impart some wisdom on the campers. Bonds played at Arizona State from 1983 to 1985, hitting .347 and slugging 45 career home runs. He was an All-American and All-Pac-10 performer, helping lead the Sun Devils to the College World Series in 1983 and 1984.

He was a first round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1985 draft and played 22 seasons for the Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He won an unprecedented seven National League Most Valuable Player awards, including four straight from 2001 to 2004. He finished his career with 762 career home runs, most in baseball history.

In 2009, freshman shortstop Drew Maggi broke two of Bonds' school records for stolen bases and runs scored by a freshman. Maggi stole 21 bases, topping the 16 by Bonds in 1983 and Steve Garrabrants in 2001. Maggi scored 63 runs, besting the 60 scored by Bonds in 1983. Bonds still holds the ASU freshman record for home runs with 11.