Hershiser Gives Bonds a Ball, Family a Smile

Orel Hershiser saw the tears in a fan’s eyes, and made them disappear with his generosity.

Hershiser gave a $5,000 check to a Florida family on Sunday in exchange for the ball that San Francisco teammate Barry Bonds hit for his 400th homer at Pro Player Stadium.

The homer, during a game against the Marlins in Miami, made Bonds the first player in major league history with 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases. The ball was caught in the right-field seats by Joe Sica of Hialeah, Fla., who offered to give Bonds the ball in exchange for an autograph.

Hershiser was in the clubhouse when Sica came by with his wife and two children. “They had been offered $5,000 for it and I could see that it was a sensitive issue, because the wife had tears in her eyes,” Hershiser said. “They were good people who were short of money. So I didn’t hesitate in telling them I would get them their money.”

Bonds offered to pay for the ball after Hershiser gave it to him, but was refused by Hershiser.