Fan not tipping hand about No. 70
Posted: Monday September 28, 1998 08:02 AM
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Phil Ozersky says he hasn't decided what to do with No. 70 AP |
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Phil Ozersky has a big piece of baseball history. Now
he has to decide if he'll trade it for the biggest piece of the
million-dollar market that surrounded Mark McGwire's
obliteration of the home run record.
Ozersky, a 26-year-old from Olivette, Missouri, caught McGwire's 70th
home run Sunday and said he's not sure what he'll do with it the ball.
"I don't know, because I didn't expect to get this ball," Ozersky said.
"Right now I'm excited to see Mr. McGwire and shake his hand, and that's
about as far as I'm looking ahead."
Baseball memorabilia collectors have said they would pay up to $1 million
for the final home run ball in McGwire's record run.
Ozersky was in a party room at Busch Stadium with a group of Washington
University research lab scientists and knew he was lucky to have the ball
after diving to come up with the prize. He had a black eye, but didn't say
whether it came from a struggle for the homer, hit in the seventh inning
off Carl Pavano.
"It was a line drive, a laser beam," Ozersky said. "I got it, and I'm
excited."
Kerry Woodson, a 22-year-old body shop worker from Maryland Heights,
Missouri, caught No. 69, a third-inning shot off Montreal rookie Mike
Thurman. He was hoping against hope that it would be the last one, and
hence the most valuable ball.
"I reached up, closed my eyes, and it landed in my glove," Woodson said.
"It's a dream come true."
When McGwire hit No. 68 into the bleachers on Saturday, there was such a
struggle for the ball that one fan broke his leg. By comparison, Woodson
said everyone was nice to him after he caught No. 69.
"People started hugging me," he said. "The roughest anybody was, was when
the cops came and got me and took me away."
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