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No. 756 on the Auction Block

By Associated Press

The man who caught the ball that broke Mobile-native Hank Aaron's all-time home run record is selling the piece of baseball history because he can't afford to keep it. No. 756 on the Auction Block

Published: Tue, August 21, 2007 - 4:54 pm Last Updated: Tue, August 21, 2007 - 8:32 pm

Barry Bonds' record-breaking home run ball will be sold online, and Matt Murphy figures to be a half-million dollars richer.
The 21-year-old New York man said Tuesday he had no choice but to sell the ball - several people told him he would be taxed on the souvenir just for holding on to it. "It wasn't hard,'' Murphy said. "It was simple math. I'm upset by the decision I had to make. ... I wanted to keep it. I'm young. I don't have the bank account.''
Bonds broke Mobile-native Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs with a shot into the right-field seats on August 7th against the Washington Nationals.
Sotheby's/SCP Auctions will handle the sale on its website from August 28-September 15. The starting bid has not been determined, but auction officials estimated the ball would bring at least $500,000.
Murphy plans to share 49% of the proceeds with a friend who attended the Giants game with him. They were in town for a brief layover on a trip to Australia.
Bonds' 755th home run ball will be for sale during the same time.