Barry Bonds Home Run Ball Set for Auction
Rich Mueller
August 22, 2007
On Tuesday afternoon, Murphy appeared at a San Francisco news conference with Southern California-based SCP Auctions in revealing plans to sell the ball through the company's upcoming sports memorabilia catalog sale sale.
"It wasn't hard,'' Murphy said of his conclusion to sell the historic ball. ``It was simple math. I'm upset by the decision I had to make. ... I wanted to keep it. I'm young. I don't have the bank account.''
Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run occurred Aug. 7 at AT&T Park in San Francisco off Washington’s Mike Bacsik. The No. 755 home run was hit Aug. 4 off Padres’ pitcher Clay Hensley at San Diego’s Petco Park.
The auction will run Aug. 28-Sept. 15 and include both #756 and the 755th home run ball Bonds hit that was caught in San Diego by Padres' fan Adam Hughes.
SCP Auctions officials have conservatively estimated the value of the 756 ball at about $500,000, while the value of the 755 ball has been estimated in the range of $200,000.
In order to be approved for bidding on these two baseballs, potential bidders must complete a Qualification Agreement, and a Special Registration Form.
Murphy was traveling with a friend to Australia, when they stopped in San Francisco and decided to attend a Giants’ game. Murphy said they nearly missed Bonds' historic at-bat because they left their seats to get crab sandwiches. "We were back just in time," Murphy said.
"We hustled. The ball took a lucky bounce. The scramble for the ball was the longest minute of my life. I think one gentleman kicked me in the back of the head. There were people on top of people on top of people, which I didn't really understand. The San Francisco Police Department really helped me out by getting there quickly."
Murphy said he will split the money with his friend Amir Kamal who attended the game with him. Murphy will get 51 percent and Kamal will get 49 percent.
David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions, said of the upcoming auction: “This is a historic event in the field of sports memorabilia. Never before has two baseballs generated more curiosity and passion throughout a nation of baseball fans and collectors. We are proud to have been selected to make this unprecedented offering on behalf of Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hughes.”
Commenting on the feat each ball represents, Dan Imler, SCP Auctions’ managing director, said: “For 33 years, ‘755’ was thought to be an unreachable benchmark for baseball’s greatest sluggers, a seemingly immortal feat of power and endurance. Barry Bonds' career home run number 755 and number 756 baseballs represent the achievement of perhaps the most hallowed record in all of sports.”
Sotheby’s and SCP Auctions are no strangers to Bonds’ memorabilia, having sold home run ball No. 700 for $102,000 on June 10, 2005, a feat only two other players in the history of Major League Baseball have accomplished: Ruth and Aaron. In August 2006, Bonds’ 715th home run ball, making him second on the all-time home run list surpassing Ruth, sold for $220,100 at auction.
Previous record-setting balls sold by way of auction include Bonds 73rd home run ball, surpassing Mark McGwire for the single-season record, sold in 2001 for $517,500 and Aaron’s 755th ball that garnered $650,000 in 1999.
"It wasn't hard,'' Murphy said of his conclusion to sell the historic ball. ``It was simple math. I'm upset by the decision I had to make. ... I wanted to keep it. I'm young. I don't have the bank account.''
Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run occurred Aug. 7 at AT&T Park in San Francisco off Washington’s Mike Bacsik. The No. 755 home run was hit Aug. 4 off Padres’ pitcher Clay Hensley at San Diego’s Petco Park.
The auction will run Aug. 28-Sept. 15 and include both #756 and the 755th home run ball Bonds hit that was caught in San Diego by Padres' fan Adam Hughes.
SCP Auctions officials have conservatively estimated the value of the 756 ball at about $500,000, while the value of the 755 ball has been estimated in the range of $200,000.
In order to be approved for bidding on these two baseballs, potential bidders must complete a Qualification Agreement, and a Special Registration Form.
Murphy was traveling with a friend to Australia, when they stopped in San Francisco and decided to attend a Giants’ game. Murphy said they nearly missed Bonds' historic at-bat because they left their seats to get crab sandwiches. "We were back just in time," Murphy said.
"We hustled. The ball took a lucky bounce. The scramble for the ball was the longest minute of my life. I think one gentleman kicked me in the back of the head. There were people on top of people on top of people, which I didn't really understand. The San Francisco Police Department really helped me out by getting there quickly."
Murphy said he will split the money with his friend Amir Kamal who attended the game with him. Murphy will get 51 percent and Kamal will get 49 percent.
David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions, said of the upcoming auction: “This is a historic event in the field of sports memorabilia. Never before has two baseballs generated more curiosity and passion throughout a nation of baseball fans and collectors. We are proud to have been selected to make this unprecedented offering on behalf of Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hughes.”
Commenting on the feat each ball represents, Dan Imler, SCP Auctions’ managing director, said: “For 33 years, ‘755’ was thought to be an unreachable benchmark for baseball’s greatest sluggers, a seemingly immortal feat of power and endurance. Barry Bonds' career home run number 755 and number 756 baseballs represent the achievement of perhaps the most hallowed record in all of sports.”
Sotheby’s and SCP Auctions are no strangers to Bonds’ memorabilia, having sold home run ball No. 700 for $102,000 on June 10, 2005, a feat only two other players in the history of Major League Baseball have accomplished: Ruth and Aaron. In August 2006, Bonds’ 715th home run ball, making him second on the all-time home run list surpassing Ruth, sold for $220,100 at auction.
Previous record-setting balls sold by way of auction include Bonds 73rd home run ball, surpassing Mark McGwire for the single-season record, sold in 2001 for $517,500 and Aaron’s 755th ball that garnered $650,000 in 1999.
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