ESPN.com - MLB Playoffs 2002 - Fan's plan: donate ball to breast-cancer foundation
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Tuesday, October 22
 
Fan's plan: donate ball to breast-cancer foundation

Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- A real estate investor who fought off five men to snag the ball launched by Barry Bonds in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series has plans to donate it to a breast-cancer research foundation.

David Behrend, 34, of Santa Monica, was standing with his sister by the tunnel near Section 238 in Edison Field on Sunday when Bonds' shot went over his head, bounced twice though the tunnel and off a concession stand. The ball was hit an estimated 485 feet.

"I ran about 10 yards to get it, and five guys piled onto me, like it was a fumble recovery,'' said Behrend, who was standing in the tunnel hoping to make a fast exit at the end of the game.

Security guards pulled the men off Behrend, who said he was offered $500 on the spot for the ball. To authenticate it, Behrend had a stadium security guard write her name, phone number and badge number on it. He said he will give the ball to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast-cancer research.

The ball could fetch between $8,000 and $10,000, according to Tom Elliott, owner of Past Times Collectibles. "It didn't win a game, but it was hit into the stratosphere by the greatest hitter of our era," Elliott said.

If the ball was signed by Bonds, the price could jump to $15,000, he said.

Bonds will gladly sign the ball if it's given to charity, Rachael Vizcarra, his publicist, said.

"He wouldn't give it a second thought," she said.





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