What would you do with "the ball"

[Bluedawg]

Frankly, since it, Bonds and the new record means nothing to me it would hit the auction floor looking for $5 million.

N.Y. fan emerges from bleacher bedlam holding lucky ball (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-bonds-ball&prov=ap&type=lgns)


"I just hope he didn't get hurt," Bonds said after the game, which the Giants lost 8-6 to the Washington Nationals. He said he had no interest in getting the ball back for himself.

"I don't want the ball," Bonds said. "I've never believed a home run ball belonged to the player. If he caught it, it's his."

[g_olaf]

Frankly, since it, Bonds and the new record means nothing to me it would hit the auction floor looking for $5 million.

N.Y. fan emerges from bleacher bedlam holding lucky ball (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-bonds-ball&prov=ap&type=lgns)

If it means nothing, why not throw it back on the field?

[Moose]

What I hope I would do: Keep it for a bit and take some pictures, sleep with it under my pillow. You know, the usual. Then sell it with assurances that it would one day make it to the hall of fame. Most things like this should be kept there for everyone to see.

What I probably would do: Auction, auction, auction, baby. Who doesn't need a few million dollars, anyway?

- Moose

[Bluedawg]

If it means nothing, why not throw it back on the field?

because 5 million, or whatever it can draw, does mean something.

[tombrady]

because 5 million, or whatever it can draw, does mean something.

Sports collectors are estimating it will sell for around $500,000.

With half to taxes, you're not really looking at a huge huge haul.

The LAST ball bonds ever hits -- thats the one that will be worth megabucks.

[Bluedawg]

Sports collectors are estimating it will sell for around $500,000.

With half to taxes, you're not really looking at a huge huge haul.

The LAST ball bonds ever hits -- thats the one that will be worth megabucks.

$250,000? I'd take it. that might be chump change to you, but I'd take it.

[captmojo]

It should all depend on how old I am. A geezer like myself should put it on the market now and retire, but if I were under 30, I'd hold on to it because you know it's value will only rise.

[Chard]

...quickly!

[DevilWolf]

I'd give it to Bonds and have a picture taken with me, him, and the ball. Then I'd thank him for giving me something to brag about forever.

[EarlJam]

I'd pour glue all over it and roll it around in purple glitter. I would then use gold glitter (and glue) to put the words "Happy Birthday Jesus!" on it. Then, I would glue an apparatus with a small ring on top of the ball and put a small ornament hook on it. When I put up my tree this Christmas, I would then hang the ball front and center on the tree and sing Christmas carols.

-EarlJam

P.S. Actually, I'd sell it.

[Moose]

Watching Sportscenter and they had on a memorabilia auction expert (don't remember the name). He's saying:

1) 250K tops for the ball - consider the McGuire ball sold at 3.5 million!

2) It's going for cheap (really? 250k is cheap?) because of the steroids cloud which could negate the record in the near future. And I'm not talking asterisk, but having it erased from the books.

3) It's going for cheap because everyone expects Bonds to be an also-ran after A-Rod gets done with his career. He was throwing around the 5 year number for a window that Bonds' ball would keep its value.

4) It's going for cheap because the last HR ball Bonds hits will be the record holder. Apparently record holders sell for more than record breakers.

The other funny thing was that the guy who caught the ball was on a layover on a trip to Australia! Profitable trip!

- Moose

[4decadedukie]

COOPERSTOWN. I cannot personally sanction this record, but the ball belongs to the baseball community, and that means the Hall of Fame.

[mapei]

I'd give it to Bonds and have a picture taken with me, him, and the ball. Then I'd thank him for giving me something to brag about forever.

Me too. <irrelevant addition to meet minimum character requirements for posting>

[oso diablo]

i've thought about this... cutting a deal with MLB and the HOF, where i'd get a lifetime (min 50 years) pass, a golden ticket, for myself and my family to attend any MLB game, including spring training and playoffs, in a luxury box. Get minor leagues thrown in, too. And all-access pass to the Hall of Fame.

I love baseball. What can i say?

[JasonEvans]

Look amost anyone would sell it. I don't care if it is only worth $100k-- that's significant money to me and 99.9% of the general public.

That said, I would try to see if there was a nice millionaire or corporation who would give me a little less than market value to donate the ball to the Hall of Fame or some other museum. For example, if someone told me it was worth $300k on the auction market, I would give it to the Hall for half-price.

-Jason "I might also try to see if Barry would pay me something to donate it to the Hall-- though I doubt it" Evans

[Channing]

I would sell it immediately, invest in something or the other, and watch the miracle of compounded interest work for the next 40 years or so until I am ready to retire.

[cspan37421]

I'm amazed anyone would pay anything for it. It is a baseball. It doesn't have magical powers, or even practical ones. And unlike some collectibles, such as coins or art, it isn't even interesting to look at.

[Reisen]

Zippy chance I'm giving it to the hall of fame, or really care whether whoever I sell it to is going to eventually donate it to the hall of fame.

Paying that kind of money for something like this is about one thing. Bragging rights. Nothing more. Baseball's a game, and a minor one in the global view at that. To call this the biggest record in sports is a joke. A whole lot more people know the names Maradonna or Pele than the name "Bonds".

I own a piece of the Berlin wall, which my father actually removed himself days after it first started coming down in 1989. THAT is a piece of history. Paying $3.5 Mil for McGuire's ball is nothing more than bragging rights, and the same thing goes for Bonds' as was said, who's going to really remember or care about this in 10 years.

Meh, sell it to the richest fool I can find, and use the money for something with real value.

[mapei]

I have a piece of the wall, too, that a friend who is a news producer got while he was covering the story. But it's just a little piece of broken concrete that looks like it came out of my sidewalk!

Wanna buy it? ;)

[gvtucker]

Sports collectors are estimating it will sell for around $500,000.

With half to taxes, you're not really looking at a huge huge haul.

The LAST ball bonds ever hits -- thats the one that will be worth megabucks.

Disagree strongly. The Hank Aaron ball everyone wants is #715, that's the famous ball. #755 hit for the Brewers in an empty ballpark isn't worth nearly as much.

Sell it. Now. 'Cause when Rodriguez breaks Bonds' record, it won't have much sentimental value, either.

[JasonEvans]

Disagree strongly. The Hank Aaron ball everyone wants is #715, that's the famous ball. #755 hit for the Brewers in an empty ballpark isn't worth nearly as much.

Sell it. Now. 'Cause when Rodriguez breaks Bonds' record, it won't have much sentimental value, either.

The man who got #755 is named Richard Arndt. He held onto it for a long time and it was worth a lot when he sold it.

He was a groundskeeper or something like that for the Brewers. It was hit in late July and at the time no one knew it would be Aaron's last homer-- though he was not hitting homers at a very fast clip at that time. He only hit 10 his last season in Milwaukee and was only playing about every other day.

Arndt says he was all ready to give it back to Aaron, but decided not to at the last minute because Aaron did not come personally ask for it. A member of the Brewers organization came to ask for it instead. Arndt was supposed to get another ball autographed by Aaron as well as an autographed bat and a picture with Hank. I don't think anyone realized the ball would be very valuable back then and Aaron did not come get it because he was packing to go on a road trip. When Arndt refused to hand the ball over, he was fired from his groundkeeping job for stealing Brewer's property. They deducted $5 from his final check for the ball and as far as he was concerned that meant that he owned it.

Arndt tried to get Aaron to sign it once, but Hank refused and asked ARndt to give him the ball. So, several years later, Arndt secretly got Arron to sign it for him at a autograph show.

He was offered money for it over the years. Magnavox signed Aaron to an endorsement deal after he retired from baseball and the company offered Arndt $1000 for the ball, which was a lot of money back in the 1970s. Aaron also offered to buy it for $5000 in the 1980s. Arndt refused again.

The ball was finally sold in 1999 for $650,000 to a fund manager in Connecticut. Arndt donated 25% of the sale to Hank Aaron's Chasing a Dream charity-- which is a pretty classy thing to do if you ask me.

--Jason "he was one smart guy to hold onto it for that long-- selling it in 1999 was probably pretty close to peak value for that ball too" Evans

[Bob Green]

I'd trade it for two tickets to watch Duke play Carolina at CIS. Of course, whoever traded with me would have to chip in two round trip tickets from Narita to RDU (First Class), hotel accommodations (Five Star), chauffeured limousine, BBQ dinner, all the beer I can drink, etc... :)

[Indoor66]

I'd trade it for two tickets to watch Duke play Carolina at CIS. Of course, whoever traded with me would have to chip in two round trip tickets from Narita to RDU (First Class), hotel accommodations (Five Star), chauffeured limousine, BBQ dinner, all the beer I can drink, etc... :)

I was ready to offer until the beer demand. The other requirements are quite reasonable but I don't think I could cover the tab for a swabby at a beer bar. :D

[killerleft]

I would sell it quick. Might be a mistake. Who knows, the ball may become even more valuable due to the unclear ramifications of Bond's association with steroid use.

[Indoor66]

I would sell it quick. Might be a mistake. Who knows, the ball may become even more valuable due to the unclear ramifications of Bond's association with steroid use.

I agree. Sell it quick. You know, birds, hands and bushes. Put it on E-Bay, opening bid of $450,000 and see what happens. :p

[captmojo]

I was ready to offer until the beer demand. The other requirements are quite reasonable but I don't think I could cover the tab for a swabby at a beer bar. :D

That's fantastic.

[Carlos]

I'm thinking that right now the ball may only be worth $250,000 but after it's treated with the cream and the clear its value would be artificially inflated to $500,000.