Witnessed Baseball History at McCovey Cove from my kayak

[ChuckE]

I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to experience sports history in my backyard and try to shag Barry's 756th homerun ball worth big money.

From the cove, you can see the jumbotron and hear everything going on.


Here's a guy who drove from Sacramento with his duckie.  In the background, you can see one of the several SFPD cops patroling the cove on waverunners.  Also, you can see kayakers and rafters launching off the rocks.  That turned out to be the easiest place to put in.


There was even a guy fishing from a Hobe in the middle of the cove while all of this was going on.   

Here's the cove beginning to fill up with kayakers


Here's Larry Ellison, the guy who shagged historic ball #661, and a couple other significant balls.  Check out the water proofed LCD TV monitor mounted to his yak.


Here's a night pic from the cove showing a packed stadium.  It was taken just seconds before Bonds went up to bat.


When Bonds hit 756, the crowd erupted and I actually saw the ball flying through the air.  I immediately knew it wasn't going to land in the cove.  It was all like in slow motion.  Afterwards, there was an awesome fireworks display. 


It was one big fun party OTW and all-in-all... a priceless experience!

[Kevin]

that's awesome!  cool pics.  I was hoping it would have landed in the cove.

[fishshim]

My kid and a buddy were there last night. They were in the next block of seats over and got on TV for a few
 seconds.  He was pretty jacked up when he got home.

[Bigfoot]

Very cool Chuck! The Guy who caught it end with a bloody face and torn shirt. 1/2 million is 1/2 million. those cops on jetskies were there to protect the person who caught it. Great memories.

[yakuza]

damn that looks fun!!

[Big J]

Many thanks for the great report and awesome pix! I AM a baseball fan and was "crying over spilt milk" because I don't pay Comcast enough to watch it on TV.

Janice aka "Big J"

[Zee]

Awesome report and pics! Thanks ChuckE!! I'm far away but thanks for making me feel closer to home.

Z

[Rock Hopper]

Dude - are those paddle up bars???

[jdyak]

Way cool Chucke..  I watched it on TV and was blown away when he hit it out, what a moment!  Back in the Day I was watching the game when Hank Arron hit the one that passed Babe Ruth and that was incredible, although 33 years ago.  I even had the poster of his homerun in my room when I was a young kid.

Larry Ellison has way to much free time.

John

[guitarzan]

Way to go Chucke! Did anyone fish before the sun went down?

[sackyak]

Col man nice report.  Did the guy in the hobe catch anthing?

[Uminchu Naoaki]

wow & those are some great pics!!!
Jim & I just walked into the bar in Occidental (the bartender girl is the friend of Dennis Spike) after playing soccer & watched on the TV.  That was amazing to witness some great history of sports entertainment in live!

[ChuckE]

Way to go Chucke! Did anyone fish before the sun went down?

Col man nice report.  Did the guy in the hobe catch anthing?

He was the only guy fishing and I didn't see him catch anything.  He continued fishing after dark which is a no-no in the bay, but the SFPD ignored him.

[Danglin]

Nice Try ChuckE...

  Looking tough out there!!!  Great shots and report..  catch up with ya soon ... Danglin

[Abdiver]

THIS IS FROM THE NATIONAL POST.. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS!! THEY TRY TO NAIL YOU EVERY WAY THEY CAN. EVEN IF HE DOESN'T SELL IT..

As soon as Murphy snagged the piece of sports history, worth an estimated $500,000 by most experts, his souvenir became taxable income in the eyes of the IRS.

"It's an expensive catch," said John Barrie, a New York tax lawyer. "Once he took possession of the ball and it was his ball, it was income to him based on its value as of yesterday."

That puts Murphy, a college student from Queens who went to the game on a stopover on his way to Australia, in the highest tax bracket for individual income, facing a tax rate of about 35 percent.