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Man to auction Bonds' 762nd HR ball

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 13, 2008 at 10:45 a.m.

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Jameson Sutton pulled his version of the hidden-ball trick, and it could bring him as much as $1 million.

The 24-year-old Boulder resident revealed Thursday he retrieved the ball hit by Barry Bonds for a 762nd career home run at Coors Field on Sept. 5 - which could end up as baseball's career record.

Sutton secured the ball during a three-man scramble, and a spokesman for SCP Auctions - which will launch a two-week online bidding war beginning March 31 (SCPAuctions.com) - said it could be worth as much as $1 million.

Before the game, Sutton had snagged a batting practice ball that helped him get the home run ball.

"I did what was a weird splits, and that's when I saw (the home run ball) rolling right in front of me," Sutton said. "I threw the practice ball and grabbed the home run ball."

The diversion, intended or not, worked because the fans with whom Sutton wrestled for the ball - Arvada resident Robert Harmon and another man whose identity is uncertain - ended up vying for the batting-practice ball.

Once he had the home run ball safely in his grasp, Sutton said, he "turned around, and there was security. They talked to me for a second, checked for fan interference or whatever and then they let me sit back down."

Then he turned to show his parents, David and Debbie Sutton, Rockies season-ticket holders who were seated about 10 rows behind him.

Later, "Bonds like tipped his hat. I think it was towards me," Sutton said.

Once he got home, Sutton put the ball and game ticket in a plastic bag and hid them in a case in his closet.

"I thought it would be cool to give it to my grandkids, but it's too important of a ball to have it laying around in my house," he said at a downtown Denver restaurant.

"I'll probably take (the money from the ball) and help out the family," which currently is involved in David Sutton's fight with cancer.

"I'll pay his medical bills, for their house, whatever."

His father's illness was among the reasons Sutton "didn't tell anyone" he had the ball until Thursday.

Another reason was the uncertainty of whether Bonds might hit more home runs.

Turns out, that home run, just over the left-field fence at Coors Field off the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez in the first inning of a 5-3 Giants win, was the last Bonds hit in the 2007 season.

It might be the final home run hit by Bonds, whose return to baseball is uncertain.

He currently is out of baseball and faces perjury and obstruction charges stemming from a steroids investigation. If he does not return to active baseball, home run No. 762 would be baseball's career record.

The authenticity of the ball came into question because Major League Baseball quit marking balls for games in which Bonds played after he broke Henry Aaron's home run record Aug. 8 in San Francisco.

David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions, said his company authenticated the ball by numerous means, including studying game video, interviewing fans and submitting Sutton to a polygraph test.

Sutton, who says he is a fan of baseball and Bonds, has not been contacted by Major League Baseball, the Hall of Fame or by Bonds about obtaining the baseball.

"If (Bonds) wants to bid on it," Sutton said, "that would be great."

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"People would (say), like family and friends, I'll give you $5,000."

Jameson Sutton, on offers he has received for Barry Bonds' 762nd home run ball before his decision to auction it.

"We would have to feel really comfortable with a bid that high ($100,000 or more). There's too much uncertainty."

Gregory Anderson, a Denver businessman who offered $15,000 for the ball before it went to auction.

"This kid came up and said, 'My friend got the ball.' I was like, 'No, I got it.' I look at it, and I was like, 'Oh, (expletive).' I've seen enough baseballs to know what a game ball is and what a practice ball is. He got the ball and I've got a nice souvenir."

Robert Harmon, who was involved in the scrum for the home run ball but ended up with a batting practice ball.

WHAT'S A BALL WORTH?

The highest prices paid for milestone baseballs in bidding conducted by SCP Auctions:

Item Price

UP McGwire HR ball No. 70 $3 million

Bonds HR ball No. 756 $752,467

Aaron HR ball No. 755 $650,000

Bonds HR ball No. 73 $517,500

Bonds HR ball No. 715 $220,100

Bonds HR ball No. 755 $186,750

Comments

  • March 13, 2008

    12:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    buzzman writes:

    who cares--

  • March 13, 2008

    12:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Nostrashawnus writes:

    He should urinate on it first.

  • March 13, 2008

    12:30 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Firedewd writes:

    Like to see: SOLD! for $1.00 Then used to play fetch with the family dog.

  • March 13, 2008

    12:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    samsmargolis writes:

    Hmmmm. Should I bid on a baseball that was hit out of a stadium by a cheater in a sport run by deniers and supported by the likes of Sutton? Nope. I agree with Firedewd - donate it to a local dog shelter and let the homeless lil' guys chew it up. That's about the best use for it...

  • March 13, 2008

    12:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Diff writes:

    My Bid.
    $0.02
    Then
    I'd through it in Boulder Res

    But I am sure someone will part with big bucks just to say
    "I have it"

    to that I'd say: B F D !

  • March 13, 2008

    12:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    DahmersCookbook writes:

    This auction brought to you by Sargent Steroid and Captain Anabolic mystery drink. Purchase yours at the back of your local gym locker room.

  • March 13, 2008

    1:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    temurlan writes:

    $1,000,000.00?????? Yeah, right. I think people feel the same about this ball as they do about who hit it out. Not wanted. If it does sell though, I'd like to see it go out the way the Bart ball did at Wrigley. DoubleChubbyChuck: Don't do that, you made me reflex-yawn and I'm not even tired.

  • March 13, 2008

    2:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    cableboy764 writes:

    Good for the guy for selling it. I'd sell it too and run with the money, cause you know some tool will pay a bunch for it.