KEY POINTS:
Several of baseball's Hall of Famers, who flocked to the farmland community of Cooperstown, New York, for the enshrinement of Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken jnr, say it is time to embrace Barry Bonds.
Bonds, one home run away from Hank Aaron's career record total of 755 homers,
has played under a cloud of suspicion over alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs and an upsurge in power hitting late in his career.
The seven-time National League Most Valuable Player homered in the first inning against the Florida Marlins on Saturday.
The blast was the 20th home run of the season for Bonds, who turned 43 this week.
"I'm rooting for him," said former Cubs player Billy Williams. "I don't look at all the controversy about the steroids. I just look at him being a great player."
Said Lou Brock: "Sure I'm going to celebrate it until he's proven guilty. I don't know anything other than he played baseball, he hit the baseball and he hit it more often out of the ball park than anybody else."
While many Hall of Famers asked about Bonds declined to comment, the prevailing attitude expressed was that the San Francisco Giants slugger should be considered innocent unless proven guilty.
"The speculation is running rampant but unless someone gives me solid evidence, that they've drawn blood from him and he's got steroids in his system and tests positive, he's innocent. That's the bottom line," said Wade Boggs.
Ryne Sandberg admitted misgivings but marvelled at Bonds.
"It's amazing, when you think about his career and that many home runs, and Hank's record that has been out there for so long," Sandberg said about the mark Aaron established after passing Babe Ruth's 714 total in 1974. "That record was one of a kind. The record of records."
Jim Palmer said there was no consensus among Hall of Famers about whether they thought Bonds cheated, though he voiced his scepticism about the slugger.
"I think any of us around the game know something happened or something went on," Palmer said.
"We don't really know what it is and we may not ever.
"Bonds in his own right is a marvellous player - all the MVPs, all the Gold Gloves. Barry was going to get here [Hall of Fame] without hitting home runs.
"At the end of the day you have to be able to look in the mirror and feel comfortable with yourself. I don't think any of us can speak for Barry. Maybe Barry will speak at some other point."
- REUTERS
