The Decline And Fall Of Home Run Ball No. 715

Remember the heady days before the Landmark Home Run Baseball bubble burst? Guys like Todd McFarlane held press conferences to announce their purchases, which they then spirited away in armored trucks to be kept under plexiglass. Historic home run balls were fetching prices in the millions; the balls would show up in trendy spots like Spago in Beverly Hills, accompanied by an agent and multiple starlets. "We have reserved your usual table, monsieur ball. Would you like to see the wine list? ..."

It was fun while it lasted, kind of like the 1980s. Today, historic home run balls are casually thrown onto eBay, to be auctioned along with ashtrays and used books. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

The fan who caught Barry Bonds' 715th home run ball while waiting for a beer and peanuts will sell the history-making ball on Internet auction site eBay. Experts have said the ball is expected to fetch around $100,000 at auction, far less than the $500,000 some experts say it could have commanded absent the controversy surrounding Bonds and his alleged involvement with steroids.

Oh yeah, there's that.

Still, we never though that we'd see the ball that surpassed Babe Ruth coming with a "Buy it now" option.

Bonds' 715th Home Run Ball To Be Sold On Auction Site eBay [SFGate] Bonds May Be Indicted This Month [MSNBC]