BONDS TOPS MCGWIRE IN HOME RUN CONTEST.

Byline: Associated Press 

Barry Bonds borrowed a bat to steal the home run derby title back from the American League.

The San Francisco star beat Oakland's Mark McGwire in a Bay Area final of the Home Run Derby, capping a sweltering Monday of All-Star festivities.

Bonds, using a bat belonging to Houston's Derek Bell, outhomered McGwire 3-2 in the final to become the first National League player to win the contest since Ryne Sandberg in 1990.

After hitting his third homer, an exhausted Bonds flung his bat to the ground and walked toward the AL dugout to hug McGwire, who thrilled the crowd of 62,304 with several monstrous shots into the left-field upper deck of Veterans Stadium.

``The highlight of my career,'' Bonds said. ``I didn't think I had a shot.''

The seventh annual home run contest wrapped up the day's All-Star eve events, which included a celebrity softball game and workouts by the NL and AL teams in preparation for tonight's game.

With balls flying out of stadiums at record rates this season, the event promised to be a showcase for some of the game's premier power hitters. However, injuries to defending champion Frank Thomas of Chicago and Boston's Mo Vaughn diminished the field.

Belle booed: The City of Brotherly Love was ready for Albert Belle whether he was coming or not.

Following whispers he might skip Monday afternoon's workouts after missing a Sunday flight, the Cleveland Indians outfielder arrived late at the ballpark. However, he took the field with the other AL All-Stars.

Philadelphia fans are notoriously tough on their own players, so it was no surprise they greeted Belle with boos when he took his first cuts in the batting cage.

The fans who sweated through batting practice didn't get another chance to see Belle, who declined an offer to be in the Home Run Derby.

The local papers took their shots, too.

Both major Philadelphia dailies ran large photos of the Cleveland slugger, with one cover shot proclaiming him ``Belle of the Ball,'' a headline blaring ``Yo, Mr. Tough Guy Belle! Menace This!'' An inside article claimed to be ``The Official Albert Belle Guide to the City of Brotherly Love.''

Softball intrudes: Instead of Mays and McCovey, All-Star fans got Meat Loaf and MTV this year.

Forget baseball geezers trying to poke one out. Bring in the fences and bring on the glitz.

No oldtimers' baseball game on All-Star workout day. Its replacement: the first All-Star celebrity softball game.

``I think they need it,'' said Meat Loaf, who gave up a 275-foot homer to Lou Brock. ``It's coming back. I'm a huge baseball fan. They didn't lose me. I'm a little upset, but they didn't lose me.''

Meat Loaf gave up a first-pitch homer to Lou Brock, a pop that went about 275 feet to right field.

The game, televised by ESPN, included comedian Bill Cosby, author John Grisham, director Ron Howard, 76ers guard Jerry Stackhouse and MTV video jock Jon Stewart. Rapper LL Cool J and Chubby Checker were no-shows.

Baseball was represented by Dick Allen, Larry Bowa, George Foster, Steve Garvey and Keith Hernandez.

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Photo

Photo: San Francisco's Barry Bonds tips his cap to the Amer ican League dugout after hitting the winning home run in the slugging derby.

Associated Press