He was born in Ione, California, and nicknamed "Tiny" because he was an imposing 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall and weighed 215 pounds (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb).

Larry MacPhail traded Bonham to the Pittsburgh Pirates on October 24, 1946 for left-handed pitcher Cookie Cuccurullo and a player to be named later.

Rumors suggested that a poor interaction with MacPhail led to the decision, but Yankees and Pirates officials stated that Bonham had already been on waivers.

[5] Post-surgery complications made things worse for Bonham, but doctors believed he would recover until a relapse took his life at 11:45 a.m. on September 15.

[6] Relatives held Bonham's funeral on the morning of September 17 at St. Mary's Cemetery in Sacramento, officiated by Reverend Monsignor Michael Lyons of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.