What should Mark Ecko do with the 756th home run ball?

by **Sonny** on Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:22 pm

SAN FRANCISCO -- The fate of Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball is now in the public's hands after its buyer announced Monday he was taking votes on whether to give the ball to the Hall of Fame, brand it with an asterisk or blast it into space.

This ball is either headed for the Hall of Fame (as is or with an asterisk) or to outer space.

Fashion designer Marc Ecko revealed himself as Saturday's winning bidder in the online auction for the ball that Bonds hit last month to break Hank Aaron's all-time home-run record of 755. The final selling price for No. 756 was $752,467, well above most predictions.

Ecko had not even taken possession of the ball before posting a Web site that lets visitors vote on which of the three outcomes they think the ball most deserves. He said he plans to announce the final tally after voting ends Sept. 25.

"I bought this baseball to democratize the debate over what to do with it," Ecko wrote on the Web site. "The idea that some of the best athletes in the country are forced to decide between being competitive and staying natural is troubling."

LINK:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3024303

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by **TexOle** on Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:00 pm

I think he should give it back to the student who caught it. It is a shame that the ball got valued before it was ever sold, and the ball should then be shipped to Cooperstown.

by **Sonny** on Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:56 pm

TexOle wrote:I think he should give it back to the student who caught it. It is a shame that the ball got valued before it was ever sold, and the ball should then be shipped to Cooperstown.

The guy who caught it - put the ball up for auction. He made $750K, well above what most people predicted.

Good for the kid. I can't say that I wouldn't do the same. It's easy for most of us to sit back and pontificate on our keyboard about giving the ball away for free.

by **TexOle** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:21 am

I am just upset that he was going to have to pay taxes on the ball before he sold it.

by **mholtz** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:41 am

how about put a big asterisk on it THEN send it to the HOF.

by **Sonny** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:03 am

TexOle wrote:I am just upset that he was going to have to pay taxes on the ball before he sold it.

I don't think that would have happened. I think it's clear that an accountant jumped the gun on that assumption.

by **cjwilhelmi** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:14 am

mholtz wrote:how about put a big asterisk on it THEN send it to the HOF.

Thats what he said on his website. That was my vote.

by **Danny Hogan** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:48 am

hold off the poll until barry fails a drug test or his buddy in jail gives him up.

by **anklebreaker** on Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:03 pm

Very true Danny....Bestow it because its baseball history till he's caught. Plus it will only be in cooperstown for maybe 6 years max, because A-Rod is coming and he's going to destroy that record and erase Barry, 850 maybe?

by **cjwilhelmi** on Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:13 am

The votes have been tallied.

http://www.vote756.com/marcecko/

The ball is to be branded and then sent to the HOF