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Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham
Beckham Jersey Sparks Lawsuit
by
findingDulcinea Staff
A dispute between two young best friends over the ownership of a David Beckham jersey escalates, revealing the ugly side of the sports memorabilia market.
30-Second Summary
The two friends from Honolulu, aged nine and ten, attended a game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Japan's Gamba Osaka at Hawaii's Aloha Stadium.
After the game, David Beckham gave his number 23 jersey to the boys. Unable to agree on who should keep the jersey, the boys appear headed to decide ownership in court.
One of the boys' parents, Eric and Yoshika Kerr, say their son is the rightful owner because he attracted Beckham's attention by holding up a sign throughout the game. The parents of the other boy, Wilfred and Yoshika Ho, argue that their son was handed the jersey first. A friendly "joint custody" agreement between the two families did not succeed, and the families are now suing each other.
A friend of Beckham said, "The last thing he'd want is best friends falling out over something like this. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and they can sort it out."
The fight over the jersey brings to light the soaring prices of sports memorabilia, and the lengths that some fans will go to secure valuable souvenirs.
In September, Rockies fan Robert Harmon thought he had come away with Barry Bonds’ 762nd—and possibly final—home run. But a scramble for the ball and a dropped souvenir from batting practice have led to some confusion over who has the real piece of history, further complicated by another fan's claim of ownership.
Considering the sums involved, it is no surprise that battles in the stands and in the courtrooms have become almost commonplace as fans and even players clamor for keepsakes.
After the game, David Beckham gave his number 23 jersey to the boys. Unable to agree on who should keep the jersey, the boys appear headed to decide ownership in court.
One of the boys' parents, Eric and Yoshika Kerr, say their son is the rightful owner because he attracted Beckham's attention by holding up a sign throughout the game. The parents of the other boy, Wilfred and Yoshika Ho, argue that their son was handed the jersey first. A friendly "joint custody" agreement between the two families did not succeed, and the families are now suing each other.
A friend of Beckham said, "The last thing he'd want is best friends falling out over something like this. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and they can sort it out."
The fight over the jersey brings to light the soaring prices of sports memorabilia, and the lengths that some fans will go to secure valuable souvenirs.
In September, Rockies fan Robert Harmon thought he had come away with Barry Bonds’ 762nd—and possibly final—home run. But a scramble for the ball and a dropped souvenir from batting practice have led to some confusion over who has the real piece of history, further complicated by another fan's claim of ownership.
Considering the sums involved, it is no surprise that battles in the stands and in the courtrooms have become almost commonplace as fans and even players clamor for keepsakes.
Headline Link: 'The battle for England ace David Beckham's shirt'
LA Galaxy president and general manager Alexei Lalas, was in "utter disbelief" about the jersey dispute. He said, "I suggest that they get a pair of scissors, cut the thing in two and give half to each. This is not something we'd want to happen—and certainly not something David would intend," reports Britain's The Mirror.
Source: The Mirror
Background: Barry Bonds’s home run ball, record both disputed
When three fans rushed to catch Barry Bonds’ 762nd home run at Coors Field, Robert Harmon thought he had rightfully claimed the ball. But it turns out that the uproar surrounding the home run, and an extra ball in the stands, led Harmon astray. In March 2008, Jameson Sutton claimed he had walked away with the ball in question that day. Somehow that ball had escaped the growing trend of ball authentication, as sports memorabilia becomes more and more valuable.
Source: Yahoo Sports
Barry Bonds made history Aug. 7, 2007, when he hit his 756th home run, breaking Hank Aaron’s record. "Right now, I'm very happy that it's all over with," Bonds said after the game. "I'm really happy with my teammates. That's the most important thing. And the fans, like I said, the fans here are my family. No one will ever take that away. No one can ever take that away."
Source: San Francisco Giants Web site
The legitimacy of Bonds’s home run record was challenged when he was charged with five felony counts of perjury and obstruction of justice after a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes. "This record is not tainted at all—period," Bonds said the night he broke the record.
Source: NPR
Related Topics: The high price of sports memorabilia
Spawn comic book creator Todd McFarlane boasts an impressive collection of famous baseballs, including Mark McGwire’s once record-breaking 70th home run ball from 1998. McFarlane bought the ball at auction for about $3 million, only to have it plummet in value when Barry Bonds broke McGwire’s record in 2001. McFarlane spoke about his collection, which also includes Sammy Sosa’s 33rd, 61st and 66th home run balls from 1998, in a Sports Illustrated interview last year.
Source: Sports Illustrated
MSNBC provides the top five baseball sports memorabilia of all time, including the a piece of gum chewed by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Luis Gonzalez, eventually auctioned off for $10,000 and an extremely rare 1910 Honus Wagner baseball card now worth as much as $1.265 million.
Source: MSNBC
In July 2007, The San Francisco Chronicle profiled the “seasoned group of ballhawks,” primed to catch Barry Bond’s 755th home run to tie Hank Aaron, and then his 756th to set a new record. “San Francisco has become the ball-catching capital of the baseball world, thanks to Bonds and a ballpark that offers many interesting ways to snag cowhide,” according to the story. Once Bonds makes history, the expert ball catchers are ready to take that history home and convert it into “wads of cash,” according to the story.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
The 1986 World Series between the Red Sox and the Mets saw one of baseball’s most miraculous, or tragic, moments. With the Red Sox only a strike away from a series win, Mookie Wilson hit an easy ground-ball up the first base line. Bill Buckner went to field what should have been a routine ground out, only to have the ball roll right between his legs. Actor Charlie Sheen eventually paid $93,500 at an auction for the “Buckner ball.”
Source: ESPN
Violence and a lawsuit
Two fans, Alex Popov and Patrick Hayashi, not only fought in the stands over Barry Bonds’ record-setting 73rd home run during the 2001 baseball season, they eventually took their fight into the courtroom. In the end, the two were ordered to sell the ball and split the proceeds. McFarlane ended up with the ball after paying $450,000 at auction.
Source: Court TV News
Dispute over historic ball
After catching the final out of the 2004 World Series to give the Boston Red Sox their first championship in 86 years, Red Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz initially refused to part with the ball. He later loaned it to the team for a year, but the team sued for permanent ownership in November 2005. In 2006, the two parties agreed to send the ball to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, where it now resides.
Source: The Boston Globe
Missing ball blamed on dog
The ball that won the Red Sox the 2007 World Series ended up going home with Jonathan Papelbon, the pitcher who had thrown it for the final strikeout. In December, Papelbon said he had left the ball on a table in his home and his dog chewed it up. Because Pabelbon is a known jokester, some fans believe the ball will show up again someday.
Source: The Boston Globe
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