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McFarlane Is The Buyer Of McGwire Home Run Ball

NEW YORK CITY -- Todd McFarlane has purchased Mark McGwire's 70th home run

ball and several other record-breaking McGwire and Sammy Sosa baseballs from

the 1998 baseball season.

During a February 8 press conference held at the Plaza Hotel, McFarlane

revealed "The McFarlane Collection" and his intended plans for touring the

baseballs to Major League Baseball (MLB) cities, the National Baseball Hall of

Fame, and international destinations over the year.

Additionally, McFarlane unveiled initial plans for a philanthropic project

that will benefit from tour proceeds.

Canadian-born McFarlane is the creator of the Spawn‘ character, which has been

depicted in a movie and an Emmy Award-winning HBO animated series, as well as

action figures and a comic book. McFarlane is the owner of Todd McFarlane

Productions, McFarlane Toys, Todd McFarlane Entertainment, McFarlane Design

Group and McFarlane Toys Worldwide, Inc. At the time of his press conference,

he was in New York attending the American International Toy Fair, at which

McFarlane Toys was an exhibitor.

McFarlane is an avid sports fan who plays baseball, and is part-owner of the

Edmonton Oilers Hockey Team. He played on a semi-professional summer team in

Kamloops, British Columbia, an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners in 1982.

The McFarlane Collection includes McGwire's first, 63rd, 67th, 68th, 69th and

70th home run balls, along with Sosa's 33rd, 61st and 66th home run balls.

Additional memorabilia includes a pair of McGwire's autographed baseball

cleats. All of these items, with the exception of McGwire's first and 69th

home run balls, were purchased on January 12 at Guernsey's baseball auction.

"[McGwire's 70th home run] ball is an unmatched piece of sports memorabilia,"

said McFarlane. "Baseball is the only sport where the `record' can leave the

field of play, and an average fan can take home a piece of history from the

stadium. You can't do that in hockey, basketball or football. That's why I

wanted to bring the ball back to the fans across North America and the world,

to recapture the excitement of the record, to be able to let everyone look at

the ball and say `Cool.'"

According to McFarlane, each baseball in the collection has historical

significance, and includes six of the ten highest-priced baseballs ever

purchased.

McGwire's number 1 ball was the first opening day grand slam in St Louis

history, hit on March 31, kicking off the amazing home run derby of 1998. He

hit the #67 ball on September 25. It was the home run that finally separated

McGwire from Sosa, and came on the same night as the number 68 ball, again

setting a record.

The 69th ball sailed out of Busch stadium on September 27 off a third-inning

pitch from Montreal Expos pitcher Mike Thurman. It was the first of two

historic home runs that night.

McGwire hit the 70th ball during the seventh inning -- his last at bat for

1998. The three-run, 370-foot homer -- his fifth in three games -- came off of

Carl Pavano's first pitch to the Cardinal hitter that inning and was caught by

Philip Ozersky, who sold the baseball at the auction.

Sosa's 33rd ball, hit on June 30, was an MLB record-breaking 20th home run in

a month. Sosa's 61st ball, hit September 13, marked only the third home run to

break Babe Ruth's record, and the second to tie Roger Maris.

For 45 minutes on September 25, Sosa alone held the single season home run

record when he blasted number 66. It was his final for 1998, capping an

amazing season in which Sosa had a .308 batting average, 158 RBIs and helped

the Chicago Cubs get into the playoffs for the first time since 1989.

Initial plans call for various parts of the collection to tour around North

America and to baseball venues throughout the baseball season.

For more information on the baseballs, visit online www.70hrball.com.