Bobby Bonilla was a professional baseball player who played for several teams during his career. He was born on February 23, 1963, in the Bronx, New York. Bonilla was a switch-hitter and played primarily as a right fielder. He was known for his power hitting and his ability to drive in runs.
Bonilla began his professional baseball career in 1981 when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his major league debut in 1986. Bonilla quickly established himself as a solid player, hitting .287 with 14 home runs and 68 RBIs in his rookie season.
Over the next few years, Bonilla continued to improve his game. He was named to the All-Star team six times and won three Silver Slugger awards. In 1990, he had his best season, hitting .280 with 32 home runs and 120 RBIs. He finished third in the National League MVP voting that year.
After the 1991 season, Bonilla became a free agent and signed a five-year, $29 million contract with the New York Mets. However, his time with the Mets was not as successful as he had hoped. He struggled with injuries and his performance on the field declined. In 1995, the Mets traded him to the Baltimore Orioles.
Bonilla had a resurgence with the Orioles, hitting .287 with 28 home runs and 116 RBIs in 1996. He helped lead the team to the American League Championship Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees. After the 1996 season, Bonilla was traded to the Florida Marlins.
Bonilla played for several more teams over the next few years, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and St. Louis Cardinals. He retired after the 2001 season with a career batting average of .279, 287 home runs, and 1,173 RBIs.
Despite his successful career, Bonilla is perhaps best known for a unique financial arrangement he made with the New York Mets. In 2000, the Mets owed Bonilla $5.9 million in deferred salary. Instead of paying him the money upfront, the team agreed to defer the payment and pay him $1.19 million annually for 25 years, starting in 2011. This arrangement has become known as the "Bobby Bonilla Day" and is celebrated annually on July 1st.
Overall, Bobby Bonilla had a successful career as a professional baseball player. He was a six-time All-Star and won three Silver Slugger awards. While his time with the Mets was not as successful as he had hoped, he had a resurgence with the Orioles and played for several other teams before retiring in 2001.
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