Bobby Bonilla Day has hit 2 big milestones

One of the “highlights” on the annual sports calendar, July 1 is the “celebration” of Bobby Bonilla Day, which observes that the New York Mets are still paying the six-time All-Star $1.19 million per year even though he hasn’t played in Major League Baseball since 2001.

Yes, it’s now been 20 years since Bonilla donned a uniform, and it’s been 10 years since a renegotiation of his contract in 2011, which will see him get paid more than a million dollars each year until 2035.

Bobby Bonilla Day

As chronicled by ESPN’s Dan Mullen Thursday, the Mets agreed in 2000 to buy out the remaining $5.9 million on Bonilla’s contract, but as part of the arrangement, they deferred payments until 2011 but must pay him through 2035 with 8% interest. The deal was agreed upon because Mets owner Fred Wilpon was involved with Bernie Madoff, the Ponzi scheme operator who died in April.

Bobby Bonilla contract

Bonilla was released by the Mets in 1999 and then played two more seasons in MLB, with the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals, leaving Major League Baseball at the age of 38. Now 58, Bonilla will get his annual payment until he is 72.

People celebrate Bobby Bonilla Day

Some top tweets from Thursday as people “celebrated” Bobby Bonilla Day.