It may not surprise you that Bobby Bonilla enjoys July 1 — otherwise known in the baseball world as “Bobby Bonilla Day.”
For the 12th consecutive year, Bonilla received roughly $1.19 million from the Mets in deferred money. And with 13 installments still on tap in the annual tradition, there’s plenty of notoriety — and cash — left to go around.
“My text messages blow up — way bigger than my birthday,” Bonilla, now 59, told the Action Network. “It’s a fun day. It always brings a smile to my face.”
It makes sense that Bonilla enjoys the day; he is the primary beneficiary, after all. And while Bonilla maintained that he has plenty of financial stability and doesn’t need the money, he has also never approached the Mets about receiving the funds all at once, instead opting to keep the yearly tradition going.
“I’ve never even thought about it,” Bonilla said.
The fame, then, lives on.
Bonilla is still owed 13 more installments of deferred money by the Mets. Getty Images“It’s really amazing how I’m probably more famous for that deal than the career I had,” Bonilla, a six-time All-Star, said. “It’s become a very popular day.
“… Everywhere I go, I hear: ‘He was a part of one of the greatest contracts in sports. I love what he did.’ That brings a smile to my face. It’s really pretty cool.”
Nowadays, Bonilla prefers to keep a low profile, though doing so on July 1 is merely impossible. He said that he “loves being a Dad” to his 16-year-old son, who is an avid golfer. Traveling to his son’s tournaments occupies most of Bonilla’s summer, with the schedule thus far precluding Bonilla from visiting Citi Field — though he remains in touch with the Mets’ former PR director, Jay Horowitz, and owner Steve Cohen.
Bonilla, 59, still keeps in touch with Jay Horowitz and Steve Cohen. Getty ImagesAnd while Bonilla may be the most infamous example, deferred contracts have become an increasingly popular phenomenon. This year, for instance, marked the first of seven deferred payments of $15 million that the Nationals will pay out to Mets ace Max Scherzer.
So, when Bonilla thinks about his legacy, he hopes that more players follow in his footsteps.
“I want to see more players, and not just in baseball, think about tomorrow,” Bonilla said. “I think it’s important. I don’t think we spend enough time thinking about tomorrow. … It’s a very wise price to pay to make sure that you’re financially sound when you leave the game.”
