Bonds made a guy in my company famous

[KillyKillall]

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO

Originally posted by: KillyKillall
**Update**

Guy in my company is now $200k richer.. like he needed it.. <sigh>

So where do you work that 200k is not needed? :shocked:

What I meant is, he has a very good job in the company that pays very well. Everyone in the bay area needs $200k due to the price of living, but c'mon...

Maybe I'm just jealous because I want $200k?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO

Originally posted by: KillyKillall
**Update**

Guy in my company is now $200k richer.. like he needed it.. <sigh>

So where do you work that 200k is not needed? :shocked:

Yeah man... if $200k was chump change to me, I don't think I'd be working a 9-5er.

Originally posted by: KillyKillall
Maybe I'm just jealous because I want $200k?

Probably, but who wouldn't be?

 

[essasin]

I actually was actually near EBAY yesterday and saw some action going on there. I guess they had an interview there?

 

[fbrdphreak]

He sold the ball for $200K or how did he get that?

 

[KillyKillall]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
He sold the ball for $200K or how did he get that?

Internal news story within our company:

AUGUST 4, 2006
What a catch!

SUMMARY:

Two beers: $14. Bag of peanuts: $4. Catching Barry Bonds' 715th home run ball while waiting in line: $220,100.

Marketing director Andrew Morbitzer spent Thursday morning in a routine staff meeting. The rest of the day was anything but.

By noon, he?d been on local radio and television and was interviewed by the Associated Press. Oh yeah, he?d also made a couple of hundred thousand dollars, and promised a chunk of it to charity.

That?s life when you?re the lucky stiff who caught Barry Bonds? 715th home run ball while waiting in line at a concession stand.

Andrew, who supports the Small Business Division?s strategy and innovation team, sold the ball that Bonds hit to eclipse Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list for $220,100 in an eBay auction that concluded at noon Thursday.

?For standing in line waiting for a beer and something to eat ? you can?t be unhappy with an amount like that,? Andrew said afterward.

Right place, right time

Andrew stepped into the spotlight on May 28 when the ball plopped into his outstretched hand as waited at a concession line for beer, peanuts and a barbecue sandwich at AT&T Park.

He took some ribbing for not being in the stands for the historic hit, but had a ready explanation: He?d arrived late, his back was to the scoreboard and he didn?t know Bonds was coming to bat. And beside, his wife of less than one year had asked him to make a food run. And in the end, he had the ball. Hard to argue with that.

Immediately, the speculation began: Would he keep the ball or sell it? And what was it worth? With Bonds? reputation tarnished by his alleged use of steroids, experts said the ball could sell for anywhere between $100,000 and $500,000. Eventually, he turned to eBay.

The auction began July 24, with a minimum price of $10,000, which was quickly met. Bidding languished for a couple of days, but began taking off on July 26 when a $20,000 bid broke the $100,000 barrier.

?We?d been prepared for just a little activity in the beginning,? Andrew said. ?We weren?t expecting a lot of activity until the last half hour.?

By Wednesday, bidding stalled at $150,000, but Andrew wasn?t worried. ?We had declared happiness at $125,000 to $150,000.?

Not just another day

On Thursday, Andrew went to work as usual, attending strategy and innovation team leader Steven Aldrich?s regular staff meeting as the final hours counted down.

?We spent a couple of minutes discussing it. He participated for about an hour and kept his mind on the topic,? Aldrich said, noting that Andrew has remained focused on the job throughout his flirtation with fame. ?He?s kicking butt on the day-to-day-stuff.?

With 45 minutes remaining and the Morbitzers now watching at eBay, things got interesting. Two new bidders entered the picture and drove the price upward. As the new totals flashed on two large screens, Andrew posed for pictures with eBay employees eager to share the moment. Cheers erupted as bidding topped $200,000.

At noon, the auction closed as Andrew and Megan hugged and high-fived eBay representatives. The winning bid came from Marc Chase, owner of Symbolic Auto Group in La Jolla, Calif.

Donation to charity

The couple won?t be taking all the money home. They promised 10 percent of the proceeds to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. ?We picked them because they help kids who?ve had problems,? Andrew said. ?They help kids get back on the right path.?

In addition, eBay will take its cut, still leaving the couple with a sizeable chunk of cash at the end of the day.

Megan already knows what she?s doing with part of the proceeds.

?I?m going to buy a whole bunch of new shoes,? she deadpanned.

As for Andrew, he went back to work. Really.