That's what history sounds like.

Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron with one crushing swing of his bat last night, hitting the 755th home run of his legendary, controversial career.

Here, in unfriendly territory, the 42,497 fans in Petco Park leaped to their feet, shouting and cheering as the ball caromed off the second-deck overhang in left field and dropped into the seats below.

Some in the crowd booed, but mostly the sound and the moment merged into an electric, deafening salute to his achievement.

"The hardest part is over now," Bonds said hours later, after the Giants had played 12 innings and lost, 3-2. "Hopefully, I can go up there and not keep you guys around any longer. I'm rooting for it, too.

"This is the hardest thing I've ever gone through in my career. It's a different feeling from any other milestone. It's Hank Aaron."

The home run crown is now worn by two men. Bonds was not quite 10 when Aaron set the record that they now share. Soon Bonds will have it all to himself.

Call the record tainted, sullied or controversial — and we do thanks to the overwhelming evidence that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs. But don't call it illegitimate or unauthentic. Because it is authentic for our times.

Just as Aaron's home run record was emblematic of his times — of the long struggle of African-Americans for recognition, of a new era dawning in the second half of the 20th century — so, too, does Bonds' record represent his era. A time of pursuing wealth and fame by any means, when rules are bent, truth is something to be spun and validity is in the eye of the beholder.

The man who gave up No. 755 was also a perfect foil for Bonds. Right-handed pitcher Clay Hensley, 27, was traded to the Padres from the Giants in 2003. In April 2005, Hensley was one of 38 minor league players who were suspended for 15 games for violating Major League Baseball's minor league drug prevention program. He was identified as using a performance-enhancing substance — either steroids or steroid precursors.

"I don't think we're here to discuss those matters," said Bonds. "We have a great policy in this game of baseball and we'll just leave it at that."

Standing and watching Bonds trot around the bases in the first inning was baseball commissioner Bud Selig. But Selig wasn't cheering. He had his hands shoved deep in his pockets and appeared to be yawning as Bonds crossed home plate. Selig's begrudging presence — bragging about attendance records while refusing to speak Bonds' name — is another fitting example of the era. And of baseball's conflicted nature.

In his own strange tribute, in a prepared statement, Selig mentioned "the controversy surrounding this event," and "that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty."

After Bonds hit the ball, he said he felt only relief.

He crossed himself as he stepped on home plate where his 17-year-old son Nikolai wrapped himself around his father. Bonds carried Nikolai off home plate, pounding him on the back, then set him down and kissed him. He hugged Ryan Klesko, the man on deck, then Giants Manager Bruce Bochy. And then he was surrounded by his teammates who had streamed out of the dugout to share the moment.

After kissing his wife, Liz, and daughter Aisha through the netting behind home plate, Bonds raised his helmet to the crowd, who continued to salute him with a loud, mostly positive, ovation.

Bonds walked into the dugout where equipment man Mike Murphy hugged him. And then Bonds walked to the end of the dugout, reached up into the stands and hugged Sue Burns, the widow of Harmon Burns. Sue Burns owns the largest stake in the Giants and is a major reason Bonds was brought back for another season.

Bonds was clearly determined to hit No. 755 on the road and return home to break the record. He played in every game of this trip. He will take Sunday off to "celebrate with my family."

Four hours before yesterday's game, Bonds took the unusual measure of early batting practice. For 45 minutes, he took 111 swings, off first Bochy and then hitting coach Joe Lefebvre. Bonds wanted to work on his swing.

And he was inspired by Alex Rodriguez — the man who might break Bonds' record. It was only about four hours after A-Rod hit his 500th home run that Bonds showed up for his early hitting session.

"I'm rooting for you Alex," Bonds said. "I'll be there for you."

Aaron wasn't there for Bonds. Neither was Giants owner Peter Magowan nor his godfather Willie Mays. Now Bonds will be coming home for history.

The record wasn't going to be broken yesterdy. Hensley clearly wasn't interested in escorting Bonds any further into history, walking him the next two times he batted.

The crowd didn't seem to know what to do. Bonds was booed as he walked to left field in the bottom of the second inning, after the home run, but cheered whenever he came to bat. The crowd was buzzing with excitement every time Bonds stepped in at the plate with No.756 in reach. Some people were standing and clapping and booing at the same time.

As the night wore on, all ambivalence seemed to fade in the crowd's desire to witness history. A significant portion of the crowd greeted Bonds with a standing ovation when he came to bat in the fifth inning, and the home team's pitchers were booed when they walked him.

And when he was replaced by pinch runner Rajai Davis in the eighth inning, Bonds left the game to cheers, tipping his helmet on his way into the dugout.

"I want to thank the San Diego fans," Bonds said at the opening of his news conference. Those were his first words, followed by: "That was outstanding."