Sports briefs for September 29, 2004

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004 | 10:09 a.m.

Bonds '700' ball has its day in court

A court hearing is scheduled today in San Francisco in the dispute over who is the rightful owner of the ball from Barry Bonds' 700th career home run.

The hearing will be in San Francisco County Superior Court, according to Daniel Horowitz, the attorney representing Steve Williams. Williams is the Giants fan who ended up with the prized ball during a melee in the left-center field bleachers at SBC Park on Sept. 17.

Williams was notified that he was being sued by attorneys for Timothy Murphy, who said he pinned the ball underneath his leg during a scrum for it after the baseball struck Murphy's chin. Murphy claims he owns the ball because Williams stole it from him while he was in a pile of fans.

Doug Allen, president of MastroNet, a Chicago-based auction company, estimated the ball's worth at "over six figures."

It's not the first time fans headed to court over the fate of a Bonds homer. In October 2001, Bonds' record-setting 73rd homer of the season sparked litigation that ended when a judge ordered both men to split the $450,000 the ball fetched.

Sparks eliminated

The Sacramento Monarchs routed the Los Angeles Sparks 73-58 to earn a spot in the WNBA Western Conference final against Seattle. In the Eastern Conference, the New York Liberty eliminated the defending champion Detroit Shock 66-64 and will play Washington or Connecticut.

Husker joins Ducks

Former Nebraska center Richie Incognito, who withdrew from school after being suspended from the team for disciplinary problems, has enrolled at Oregon. Incognito could join Oregon practices in the next week pending physical exams, but is ineligible to play this season.

Tiger hurting

Defending champion Tiger Woods said today he injured his back sleeping on a plane last week and will not know until before his tee time whether he can play in the American Express Championship at Thomastown, Ireland.