The public will have the final decision for the fate of Barry Bonds record-breaking homerun ball. The winning bidder has decided to launch a website that will allow the public to vote and decide the fate of the famous ball.
Voters can decide whether the ball should be given to the Hall of Fame, branded with an asterisk or blasted it into space. Voting ends Sept. 25.
Fashion designer Marc Ecko revealed himself as the winning bidder in the online auction for the ball that Bonds hit last month to break Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs. The final selling price for No. 756 was $752,467, well above most predictions. Matt Murphy, a 21-year-old student and construction supervisor from New York, caught the ball on Aug. 7 and became the original owner. He decided to sell it because he couldn't afford the tax bill that would result from holding onto the ball.
Some feel it is a piece of history that belongs in the Hall of Fame, Ecko wrote on the Web site. Others believe it is an embodiment of a cheating culture-not just in baseball, but in professional sports overall. I have my own opinion just like everyone else. But I wanted to make it just a little more real.
I bought this baseball to democratize the debate over what to do with it,". "The idea that some of the best athletes in the country are forced to decide between being competitive and staying natural is troubling."
Yahoo Sports reports that Ecko himself voted to brand the ball with the asterick. He said what really interests him is seeing what happens when an "American Idol" approach comes together with a serious public debate over drugs in sports.
I think this is brillant-it will show Major League Baseball, I believe, just how tired fans are of the steroid enhancing debate. I don't think there are people in their right mind believe that Bonds deserves that honor. I can't wait to see what the final tally says about the ball and in essence Barry Bonds.
As a true baseball fan, I for one will say that the game is a game of respect. The players who play the game for the love of it deserve so much more than players like Bonds. I am grateful to Ecko for giving the public the opportunity to voice their opinion. I have to go vote now and I encourage you to do the same. Check out the site
http://www.vote756.com/marcecko/
