21-year-old Matt Murphy - the man who caught Barry Bonds 756th home run - will sell the valuable home run ball online. ABC News reports that Murphy has teamed up with SCP Auctions to auction the ball off online.
"Two weeks ago today history was made," Murphy said at a press conference this afternoon in San Francisco. "I was privileged enough to be in house. I was lucky enough to be that guy who caught the ball. Today I am excited to announce that myself along with SCP Auctions will be putting the ball up for sale."
SCP, a partner with the premiere auction house Sotheby's, specializes in high-end sports items and will run an online auction for the ball from Aug. 28 to Sept. 15. Auction officials say the ball is probably worth at least a half million dollars.
Murphy, who bought tickets for the Padres-Giants game along with a Yankees fan friend in advance of passing through San Francisco en route to an Australian vacation, eventually decided to sell the ball when it became clear that the cost of keeping it would be too much to bear. Advisers informed him he would be taxed on the ball just for holding on to it.
An SCP Auctions press release lists a couple of other home run balls that have sold for large amounts. Bonds 73rd home run ball, surpassing Mark McGwire for the single-season record, sold in 2001 for $517,500 and Aaron's 755th ball garnered $650,000 in 1999. The New York Daily Newssays SCP expects the ball to sell for about half a million.
