Henry Aaron likely won't be on hand if and when Barry Bonds breaks his major-league record of 755 home runs.

Bonds, 42, has 735 career home runs, leaving him 20 shy of Aaron's mark set from 1954 to 1976.

Barry Bonds stands next to images of Henry Aaron (44) and Babe Ruth (3).
(Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)

Asked by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution if he plans to be at the ballpark to witness Bonds' record-breaking home run, Aaron replied: "Uh, uh, no, no, I am not going to be around. I'm 73 years old and I'm not hopping on a plane and flying all the way to San Francisco for anybody."

"He has every right to do what he wants to do, I respect that," Bonds said. "There is no reason for me to be disappointed.
 
"If he has other plans, other things to do, I respect that. He is his own man.

"He can do what he wants to do, I respect that. No hard feelings."

"Now if Willie [Mays] wasn't there, I'd be disappointed," he said, referring to his godfather.

Bonds and the San Francisco Giants visit Atlanta's Turner Field for a mid-August series versus the hometown Braves, but Aaron won't attend.

"I would probably fly to West Palm Beach to play golf," said Aaron, who lives in Atlanta and oversees several car dealerships in Georgia.

Aaron has refused interview requests regarding Bonds' pursuit of baseball's most cherished record, which Aaron has held since surpassing Babe Ruth's 714 home runs on Aug. 8, 1974.

"It has nothing to do with anybody, other than I had enough of it," Aaron told the Constitution.

"I don't want to be around that sort of thing anymore. I just want to be at peace with myself.

"I don't want to answer questions. It's going to be a no-win situation for me anyway.

"If I go, people are going to say, 'Well, he went because of this.' If I don't go, they'll say, 'Whatever.'"

Suspected of steroid use

Bonds is the most prolific slugger of his generation, with a .299 average, 735 home runs, 1,933 runs batted in and 2,154 runs scored in 2,866 games over 22 MLB seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Giants.

He's also stolen 510 bases and tops all major-leaguers with 2,430 walks.

Bonds has earned an unprecedented seven National League Most Valuable Player Awards, 12 Silver Slugger Awards, and eight Gold Glove Awards.

Yet all of his accomplishments are shrouded in a cloud of suspicion because Bonds is suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

But Bonds remains a fan favourite in San Francisco, which is hosting the 2007 MLB All-Star Game and banking on him generating plenty of interest as he takes aim at Aaron's mark.

With files from the Associated Press