Bonds misses win to be with father for open-heart surgery
By Associated Press
Published July 26, 2003
SAN FRANCISCO - Former All-Star slugger Bobby Bonds had open-heart surgery Friday, and his son, Barry, left the Giants to be with his father.
Barry Bonds missed Friday's game, a 5-2 victory over the Padres, and it's not clear when he will return to the team.
Manager Felipe Alou said he expected to hear from him by early today about his plans.
"It says something about him," Alou said. "When I came here, I heard a lot of things about how selfish a player he was. It's turned out to be quite the opposite."
Team spokesman Jim Moorehead said Bobby Bonds, 57, who has been battling lung cancer, had been in the hospital for at least three days.
Bobby Bonds has had numerous ailments recently. Last month he was given oxygen to fight pneumonia and was hospitalized. He had surgery on a brain tumor in April.
Pedro Feliz hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning of the game, the second walk-off shot in two days by the Giants, who won their ninth straight. Feliz started in leftfield in place of Bonds. Edgardo Alfonzo hit a two-run double and Kirk Rueter pitched six strong innings in his first outing off the disabled list.
