The people have spoken and they have said proudly, “We want an *!” Marc Ecko, the man who purchased Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run ball for $752,467, has officially decided to brand the piece of history with an asterisk. Ecko came to the decision after holding an online poll asking fans what he should do with the home run ball. The choices included donating the ball to the Baseball Hall of Fame unscathed, blasting it into outer space, or branding it with an asterisk.
The HOF will still accept the ball, however, even with the asterisk branded into one of its sides.
“This ball wouldn’t be coming to Cooperstown if Marc hadn’t bought it from the fan who caught it and then let the fans have their say,” Petroskey told The Associated Press. “We’re delighted to have the ball. It’s a historic piece of baseball history.”
I think Ecko and the fans that voted made their point loud and clear. The ball will forever be enshrined in the HOF with a big, black branded asterisk on it. It’s remarkable to think that no matter what Bonds says or does in protest of Ecko’s decision, there’s nothing he can do about it. At least in this particular instance, the ball will forever serve as a reminder to him and baseball fans that he cheated.
