LV fans say photo could settle Bonds ball dispute

Victoria Sun

Friday, Dec. 28, 2001 | 10:02 a.m.

All Las Vegans Greg Richard and Chuck Cameron wanted was to enjoy a good baseball game at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.

They got more than they bargained for -- and are hoping to get thousands of dollars more.

On Oct. 7, the day Giants slugger Barry Bonds hit his record 73rd home run, the bartenders at Las Vegas' Sonny's Saloon were caught in the mad scramble for the historic ball.

In addition, Richard snapped the only still picture of the apparent home run ball in the possession of Alex Popov, the man who claims to have gloved the ball cleanly before a pile of fans jumped him and a man named Patrick Hayashi emerged from the melee with the ball.

"We got the only picture in existence with him and the ball in his hand," Cameron said. "I would hope he would compensate us.

"If we are indeed the people that have the definitive actual photo, we'd be in position to share in the profits. So we're looking to be a part of the action, as they say."

Days after the incident, Popov, a San Francisco restaurateur, sued Hayashi over ownership of the ball.

A San Francisco court seized the prized ball and said no one would be allowed to sell it until a hearing to determine its ownership is held in the spring.

There's money to be made, as the 70th home run ball hit by recently retired St. Louis Cardinals' slugger Mark McGwire, the former home run record holder, sold for $3 million.

Cameron and Richard said they will surrender the original photograph as evidence to help Popov prove his case.

In return, they are hoping to be compensated.

Cameron said Popov has contacted him and said he would send a contract regarding the photograph.

Aside from eyewitness testimony and Richard's photograph, San Francisco's KNTV-TV also has videotape showing Popov catching the ball.

But what happens next in the video is unclear. Hayashi can be viewed standing behind the pile before the camera pans away for a moment. When the camera returns to Hayashi, he is shown holding the ball.

The excitement was more than Cameron and Richard expected.

Cameron said Richard hadn't been to a major league baseball game in 20 years, so he bought $9 standing room seats to the game that was originally scheduled for Sept. 16, but rescheduled due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"We figured we were going to be in the worst place in the stadium," Cameron said. "We were looking for the seats, walking around, walking around, walking around.

"Then we get to this section where there were police and security guards around it and they said you can't come in here. So I showed him our tickets and there we were."

They were in a section filled with about 50 people high above McCovey Cove beyond the right-field fence -- a perfect spot for trying to catch a Bonds' home run ball.

In the first inning, Bonds crushed the ball and it headed straight for Cameron.

"I stood up, unzipped my jacket to catch (the ball), then it drifts to the left where Greg is and Popov reached behind him to catch the ball," Cameron said. "I jumped up on a box that covered up TV cable wires and took a picture, then handed the camera to Greg because he was closer, he was on top of the pile.

"Popov caught the ball. He was down on his knees then everyone jumped on him."