Bonds 756 HR Ball exceeds estimates

[allstarsplus]

Winning Bids Made on Bonds' Homer Balls

AP
Posted: 2007-09-15 22:28:04

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run ball was auctioned Saturday for $752,467, well more than the estimates by memorabilia experts.

Home run No. 755, the ball that tied the record, went for $186,750, according to Sotheby's/SCP Auctions. Both final prices included the winning bid plus a 20 percent buyer's fee, according to the auction houses handling the sale.

Bonds broke Aaron's record of 755 with a shot into the right-center field seats on Aug. 7 off of Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik in San Francisco.

Matt Murphy, a 21-year-old student and construction supervisor from New York, emerged from a scuffle with the record-breaking ball after paying $100 for a $12 ticket during a layover on his way to Australia from his hometown.

"I had hoped to keep the ball, but when I determined that was not the best strategy at this stage of my life, this definitely was the right decision," Murphy said in a statement released after the sale. "It is an honor to be a part of baseball history and I wish the new owner well with whatever they elect to do with the ball."

Experts had predicted the ball that tied Hank Aaron's home run record would fetch about $200,000, and that the record-breaker would be sold for least $500,000.

"I feel like I did the right thing with it," said Adam Hughes, 34, a plumber from La Jolla who came up with No. 755 in the left-center field seats in San Diego on Aug. 4.

Hughes said that after taxes and auction house fees, he expects to take home about $90,000 from the sale. He said he would probably invest some of the money and use some of it to help out a cousin who just started college. He might also go on a cruise, he said.

Both buyers did not want to be identified, said a spokesman for SCP Auctions.

While the price for No. 756 exceeded expectations, the ball did not come close to the $3 million that was paid for St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire's single-season home run record ball in 1998.

Most memorabilia experts believe Bonds' last career home run, which will set the new record, will garner more than $1 million.

[JasonHalliburton]

Great info, thanks Andrew.

[sammy]

Let see, the ball sells for $752,467.00, minus the 20% BF equals $601,974.00.

The seller states he expects to take home around $90,000.00 from the sale.

Does this mean Uncle Crook and the auction house split a half million dollars+ in taxes and fees?

The auction house makes more on the ball then the seller?

Uncle Crook makes more on the ball then the seller?

Something is really wrong with this picture.

[allstarsplus]

Let see, the ball sells for $752,467.00, minus the 20% BF equals $601,974.00.

The seller states he expects to take home around $90,000.00 from the sale.

Does this mean Uncle Crook and the auction house split a half million dollars+ in taxes and fees?

The auction house makes more on the ball then the seller?

Uncle Crook makes more on the ball then the seller?

Something is really wrong with this picture.

Sotheby's auctioned the 755 and 756 HR balls. The $90,000 was what Hughes was going to take home from the 755 ball.

Home run No. 755, the ball that tied the record, went for $186,750, according to Sotheby's/SCP Auctions. Both final prices included the winning bid plus a 20 percent buyer's fee, according to the auction houses handling the sale.

"I feel like I did the right thing with it," said Adam Hughes, 34, a plumber from La Jolla who came up with No. 755 in the left-center field seats in San Diego on Aug. 4.

Hughes said that after taxes and auction house fees, he expects to take home about $90,000 from the sale.

Andrew

[kylehess10]

I read somewhere that the guy who purchased the Bartman ball was winning the 756 ball auction as of 2 days ago and planned to do destroy it somehow if he won. Would anybody happen to know if he won the ball?

[Ripken]

We now know the buyer's name and he's giving fans 3 options to decide what becomes of it.
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com...ou-decide.html

[Vintagedeputy]

I voted to send it up to the heavens!

[PK]

Damn, I wish I had 750k to throw around like that. Can't say I would have spent it on that ball, but having that kind of $$ would be nice

I bet it gets the astrick in it before going to the hall

[gr8soxfan]

I voted to send it up to the heavens!

I also voted to send it to the moon. i hope alot of people vote.