The Curse of Barry Bonds

The Curse of Barry Bonds is a symbolic superstition many Pittsburgh Pirates fans cite due to the fact that the baseball club has not had a winning season since Bonds' departure in 1992. The Pirates' 16 consective losing seasons ties them with the1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies for the most in professional sports. The curse can be compared to the Curse of the Bambino which affected the Boston Red Sox. While Bonds was a member of the Pirates from 1986 to 1992, Bonds won two National League MVP awards, two golden glove, and two silver slugger awards. The Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League Eastern Division title three consecutive years 1990-92, but failed to advance to the World Series each time, the second two years losing closely contested seven-game series to the Atlanta Braves. That 1992 game 7 loss to the Braves is considered the defining moment in the Pirates-Bonds saga and beginning of the curse. The Pirates took a 2-0 lead to the ninth inning, when Francisco Cabrera hit a two-out slap single to left. Sid Bream, chugging along on two of the slowest legs in the game, slid in ahead of Bonds' throw to score the winning run for Atlanta. Eight weeks later, Bonds signed a free-agent deal with the Giants.
Just as Babe Ruth before him, the departure of Bonds' from the Pirates and subsequent curse was also motivated by financial reasons. In 1990 Bonds lost an arbitration hearing, settling for $850,00 after asking for $1.6 million. In January 1991, Bonds said he was seeking a multiyear contract worth about $25 million and vowed he would leave the Pirates via free agency after the 1992 season if he was faced with an arbitration hearing. At that time Bonds was quoted as saying

"I don't care if they offer me $100 million, I'm gone," "And if I do leave, I'll haunt the Pittsburgh Pirates. They'll be the one team I will beat up on."

The Pirates franchise has been known as notorious cheapskates since refusing to pay Bonds in 1992 and have shed several quality players because of financial reasons during there 16 years of losing. Some examples being Brian Giles,Aramis Ramirez, Jason Kendall, Jason Bay, Nate McLouth, Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson. The team seems to be in a constant state of rebuilding.
When asked about the curse in 2007 Barry Bonds responded saying.

"Naw, I don't believe that at all," Bonds said. "They've got some good players who can do some things. They just never keep the players. That's been the downfall of Pittsburgh. We all wanted to stay . There just was no chance of us staying."

October 14
October 14, Bonds final game as a Pirates, has been infamous date through out history.
1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill, seven miles from Hastings, the forces of William the Conqueror defeat the Saxon army and kill King Harold II of England.
1586 - Mary I of Scotland goes on trial for conspiracy against Elizabeth I of England.
1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis begins: A U-2 flight over Cuba takes photos of Soviet nuclear weapons being installed.
1977 - Former Pirates part-owner Bing Crosby collapsed and died after a winning round of golf.
1987 - 18 month old Jessica McClure fell down a well in Midland, TX

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