Wednesday, Sept. 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
When he caught Eddie Murray's 500th home run, Dan Jones may have put himself in a higher tax bracket -- much higher.
Jones agreed Tuesday to sell the ball to the founder of the Psychic Friends Network for $500,000, the most ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia, according to USA Today.
Michael Lasky, president and chief executive officer of Inphomation Communications Inc., the Baltimore company that runs the Psychic Friends Network, took out an ad in The (Baltimore) Sun on Sunday, offering to pay $500,000 for the ball Murray hit into the right-field bleachers at Camden Yards on Sept. 6. Murray joined Hank Aaron and Willie Mays as the only players in baseball history to get 500 homers and 3,000 hits.
Lasky said he made the offer in order to keep the ball in Baltimore and out of the hands of a collector who might lock it up out of public view. Lasky said he will put the ball on display at a downtown hotel he bought last year and eventually give it to the Babe Ruth Museum.
Jones said Baltimore area memorabilia stores told him the ball was worth $50,000 to $100,000.
Wayne Gretzky and partner Bruce McNall paid $451,000 for a Honus Wagner baseball card in 1991, the former record for a single piece of memorabilia.
If the sale of the Murray ball goes through, it would be sold for 25 times what was paid for Mickey Mantle's 500th home run ball (about $20,000), and more than 10 times what was paid for the ball Cal Ripken hit over the Camden Yards fence the night he tied Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record ($41,736).
In-line skating at Cashman
The International In-Line Hockey Championships and Trade Expo will be held today through Saturday at Cashman Field Center. Hours for the championship are 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily with the trade expo from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Qualifying teams from regional events held throughout the United States and Canada will battle in six divisions: 9-11 years old, 12-14, 15-17, adult novice, adult open and women's open. Five of the teams are from Nevada: age 15-17 -- ProJoy Rage; women -- Las Vegas Bad Girlz; college -- UNLV; adult novice -- Las Vegas Heat Weave; and adult open -- Reno Rapids. Last year's show at Cashman was attended by more than 1,200 players representing 105 teams as well as 6,500 spectators daily.
Locals in CBA Draft
Clark High and Arizona State alum Ron Riley was the fifth overall selection and UNLV's Clayton Johnson was the 66th selection Monday in the 1996 Continental Basketball Association Draft. Riley, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound swingman, was taken by Rockford. Less than three months ago, Riley was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round (47th pick overall) of the National Basketball Association Draft before being traded to the Detroit Pistons the next day, but has yet to sign a contract. Riley led Clark to the state basketball championship his senior year in 1992. Johnson, a 6-6, 220-pound forward, was selected in the sixth round by Sioux Falls. The Stockton, Calif., native came to the Rebels from the College of Southern Idaho and in his senior season averaged a team-high 16.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a game. He also led the team in 3-pointers, hitting 57.
Pistons sign Smith
Kenny Smith, a nine-year NBA veteran guard who was part of two Houston Rockets' championship teams, signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Pistons. Smith, 31, became a free agent after playing the previous six seasons with Houston.
Player of week suspended
Miami Hurricanes safety Tremain Mack was suspended indefinitely and blamed a drinking problem for his sixth arrest in four years. Mack, honored Monday as Big East Conference defensive player of the week, was arrested last weekend and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, his third alcohol-related arrest in two years.
NASCAR drivers fined
NASCAR drivers Jimmy Spencer, Michael Waltrip and Kyle Petty were fined a total of $17,000 after nearly coming to blows in the MBNA 500 at Dover, Del. Spencer was fined $10,000 for trying to get at Wally Dallenbach after a multicar accident with 44 laps remaining Sunday at Dover Downs. Petty was fined $5,000 and Waltrip $2,000 for threatening each other moments after tangling on the final lap of the race won by Jeff Gordon.
Kansas loses 7-footer
Travis Williams, a 7-foot center for the University of Kansas has been medically disqualified. An MRI examination disclosed bulging discs in his back.
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