The calendar has turned to July 1, and that means one thing: It's time for Mets fans everywhere to wish each other a Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Why? On Thursday, 58-year-old Bobby Bonilla will collect a check for $1,193,248.20 from the New York Mets, as he has and will every July 1 from 2011 through 2035.
Because of baseball's salary structure, Bonilla's annual payday is often more than some of the game's current young stars will make in a given year -- and this season that even includes the salary of a leading American League MVP candidate and some potential 2021 All-Stars.