The place was Pacific Bell Park September 29, 2001, attendance 41,383, not including the boaters and kyackers in San Francisco Bay awaiting Barry's 69th homer to come sailing over the stands, 430 feet away from homeplate. This is the 9-ounce sphere of history hit for Barry Bonds' 69th homer of the season, his 583rd career. With one swing of his bat, he matched Reggie Jackson on the all-time home run list for 7th place, moving him within 1 homer of Mark McGwire's Major League Record (he would of course finish with 73). Bonds received three consecutive sliders from Padres' reliever, Chuck McElroy before the southpaw hurler made a crucial mistake. He intended to give Bonds a fastball, low and away. Instead, the ball came back over the plate, and Bonds took full advantage. McElroy, who enjoyed success in eluding Bonds in the past (Bonds was 2-32 lifetime against the Padres' newcomer), admitted that Bonds' refined hitting skills enabled him to keep his hands and shoulders in to send that pitch sailing into McCovey Cove. When this ball landed in the water, it was retrieved by a mobile home construction worker, the ball promptly dried with a hairdryer by Major League Baseball, and the Authentic Game Used hologram sticker affixed to it. This was notably the last ball to be hit into McCovey Cove in the 2001 season. One of the more important home run baseballs you can own from the most pre-eminent hitter in baseball. LOA from the person who retrieved it.