It’s been on tour, on display, in a private collection. It’s been put on eBay (for $1 million). Before finally winning a World Series, Red Sox fans had threatened to steal it and blow it up. Now, the “Bill Buckner baseball”, the one that Mookie Wilson hit and the Red Sox first baseman couldn’t scoop
up, has sold at auction. An anonymous bidder will pay $418,250 including buyer’s premium, after buying it during Heritage Auctions’ live sale in Dallas on Friday.
The ball was once owned by Charlie Sheen but had been in the collection of collector/songwriter Seth Swirsky. He listed it on eBay last year for $1 million but the publicity may have helped put the ball back into the spotlight.
Bidding stopped at $110,000 online, then skyrocketed as the live auction commenced Friday.
It wasn’t the only historic baseball from Swirsky’s collection that sold Friday, though. It wasn’t even the only ball from a World Serie Game 6. The ball Reggie Jackson hit for his third home run during a memorable Game 6 performance in the 1977 World Series sold for $65,725.
The orb Babe Ruth reportedly hit for his 136th career home run in 1921 brought $25,095.
A game–worn Tom Seaver jersey from the 1969 World Series sold for $47,800 and the Texas Rangers cap that sat atop Jose Canseco’s noggin when the famous fly ball bounced off it and over the wall during a 1993 game realized $11,950.
[…] Among the highlights of the year was also the May auction of the baseball that rolled between the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner in the 1986 World Series, allowing the New York Mets to win in the 10th inning. The ball realized $418,250. […]