Back in the Game

Big Mac and Sammy have made baseball memorabilia hot again. Here's how to play it smart

Baseball memorabilia is having an MVP year. Last week three new treasures were made: Mark McGwire's career homer No. 500, and Tony Gwynn's and Wade Boggs' career hits No. 3,000. Grab one of those balls, and it will be the biggest hit of your life too. The McGwire ball is a certain smash. Months before Big Mac launched his historic bomb, memorabilia dealer Mike Barnes of Festus, Mo., offered $100,000 as an immediate cash advance to the fan who recovered it. Barnes plans to auction the ball. The fan will get the proceeds, which Barnes estimates at $500,000; he'll keep a...

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