WASHINGTON, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) - US President and former pro baseball team owner George W. Bush congratulated Barry Bonds for smashing baseball's hallowed home-run mark, but avoided the controversy on Bonds' alleged use of steroids on his record hunt.

Bush told Fox television that he had 'politely waited until the appropriate time on the Pacific Coast' -- which is three hours behind Washington -- to call and offer his congratulations to the San Francisco Giants slugger.

WASHINGTON, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) - US President and former pro baseball team owner George W. Bush did not appear Wednesday in a hurry to congratulate Barry Bonds after the San Francisco Giant smashed baseball's hallowed home-run record.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush, a longtime fan of the game who once was part owner of the Texas Rangers club, did not call Bonds after the slugger hit his 756th homer Tuesday, breaking the 33-year-old mark held by legendary player Hank Aaron.

Asked if Bush had plans to call Bonds, Snow said, 'I don't know.'

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 25, 2007 (AFP) - Barry Bonds took the night off from his pursuit of Hank Aaron`s home run record on Wednesday, but the San Francisco slugger reportedly took a swing at the latest doping insinuations against him.

MLB.com reported that Bonds, speaking in the Giants locker room before San Francisco`s game against Atlanta on Wednesday, shrugged off chemist Patrick Arnold`s claim that it was 'implausible' that Bonds took performance-enhancing drugs without knowing it.