Sports

Barry Bonds to Light Macy’s Christmas Tree

by Jon Azpiri | October 8, 2008 at 11:53 am

273 views | 0 Recommendations | 3 comments

Controversial home run king Barry Bonds has been named the honorary chair of this year’s lighting of the Macy's Christmas Tree. It is one of the first public appearances the embattled star has made since he left baseball under the cloud of a federal investigation.

“I’m happy now that I have more time,” Bonds told the crowd at the kickoff event of the Macy’s Christmas tree lighting. “I’ve actually enjoyed myself immensely.”

Bonds, honorary chair of this year’s lighting, did not talk to reporters and left quickly after giving a brief speech during the 30-minute ceremony. Lights adorning the large tree in Union Square are sold to benefit the UCSF Children’s Hospital palliative care program, and nearly $700,000 has been raised during the past five years.

Bonds has stayed out of the limelight since pleading not guilty to 14 counts of making false declarations to a federal grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice in relation to testimony where Bonds stated he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. The trial is scheduled to start March 2.

Meanwhile, Bonds' former team, the San Francisco Giants, are debating whether to build a statue of Bonds outside their home stadium.

ew Giants managing partner Bill Neukom said Tuesday the team hasn’t decided whether to erect a statue in the slugger’s honor as it has done for Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal and most recently Orlando Cepeda.

“I think that we all need to be respectful of what Barry Bonds has done for baseball and for this team over the course of his career,” said Neukom, who took over for Peter Magowan last week. “We all need to permit the legal process to play out with regard to the pending case involving Barry Bonds. And where we go in the future with Barry Bonds will depend, to some extent, on the future.

“I think there will be other opportunities for Barry Bonds and the Giants to find common ground.”