Fan to sell Griffey HR ball at auction

[June 27, 2008]  CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Florida Marlins fan who says he caught the baseball that Ken Griffey Jr. hit for his 600th career home run plans to sell it in an auction.

Joe Scherer said Thursday he decided to put the ball in the Aug. 1 auction after consulting with other people, including family and friends, in the aftermath of the June 9 game in Miami.

Doug Allen, president of Mastro Auctions in suburban Chicago, expects the ball to attract substantial bidding interest. He said the Cincinnati Reds star has remained untainted by the steroid era that has hurt the value of memorabilia from milestone hits by Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and other recent stars.

"I think people are looking for somebody to kind of come out of the smoke, someone they can hold up as a pure player," Allen said. "It's going to be exciting. Here's a guy who's a really loved player."

Allen thinks the ball will sell for at least $50,000 and wouldn't be surprised to see bidding reach $100,000.

Scherer, a Marlins season ticketholder, called Griffey "a class act." He said by phone from Florida that he was exhilarated to have caught the ball, but decided that selling the ball at auction was the right action to take.

"I'm just doing what's best for me right now," said Scherer, who said he's 51, single and a hospital worker in south Florida.

There is still a potential obstacle. Another fan, Justin Kimball, claims the ball was ripped away from him. A lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County court asks for a court order blocking its sale and alleges civil theft and civil battery was used to take the ball from him.

Kimball has said he would give the ball to Griffey. His attorney, Robert Zarco, said Thursday that his Miami firm -- Zarco, Einhorn, Salkowski, and Brito -- would bid on the ball in auction as a last resort if they can't block its sale.

"It will be for the sole purpose of obtaining possession of the ball to give to Ken Griffey. We just believe it's the right thing to do," Zarco said.

Scherer said there's no doubt in his mind that Griffey's ball went from the slugger's bat into his glove. 

The right fielder joined Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sosa as the only players with 600. Griffey has hit two home runs since, and needs seven more to tie Sosa for fifth place on the all-time home run list.

Mastro Auctions last year sold Bonds' 70th home run ball from 2001, which tied the single-season record at the time, for just $14,400 at auction after selling it in 2002 for $60,375. Mastro said it sold Bonds' 600th career home run ball at auction in 2002 for $46,303.

The Griffey ball will be part of a live auction in Chicago that also includes items from early 20th Century stars Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Honus Wagner. Vintage memorabilia from such players is still appreciating in value, Allen said.

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On the Net:

http://www.mastroauctions.com/

[Associated Press; By DAN SEWELL]

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