Barry Bonds’ record home run ball is headed to Cooperstown with an asterisk,a sorry outcome, says Mission Viejo memorabilia dealer David Kohler, for what could have been a public relations coup for the surly superstar. Kohler’s SCP Auctions teamed with Sotheby’s in the recent online auction of Bonds’ record-setting 756th and record-tying 755th home run balls, selling them for $752,000 and $187,000, respectively. New York fashion designer Mark Ecko, winner of No. 756, has had, well, a ball with it. He’s polled fans online and decided to imprint the ball with an asterisk,a reminder of the controversy over Bonds’ alleged steroid use,before shipping it off to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Kohler says Bonds could have instead scored “a marketing coup” by purchasing the balls himself and donating or loaning them to the hall. Kohler says one of his people made that suggestion to Bonds’ marketing rep at Beverly Hills Sports Council prior to the auction, but never heard back. Kohler says Bonds might have had a proxy bidder. But, if so, Bonds should have gone higher: “Do you know how much goodwill he would have gotten out of it, writing a check for something he might make in two weeks?” …
Forbes has taken an erratic path to what is now a reasonable estimate of Donald Bren’s wealth. Mired at a ridiculously low $4 billion during the early 2000s real estate boom, Forbes recently jumped the estimate by 53% despite a softening market, to $13 billion. (It vaulted Bren to 23rd place on the magazine’s rich list.) Forbes has finally surpassed the OCBJ’s admittedly conservative estimate, currently at $10.5 billion; but we have noted that some informed guesses put The Donald as high as $20 billion …
Donato of Vogue Salon at the St. Regis Monarch Beach did Assemblywoman Mimi Walters’ new do …
Fashion industry wiz and OC resident Richard Cohen, of Ermenegildo Zegna fame and lately of St. John Knits, has become CEO of and a financial partner in Monterey-based Robert Talbott Inc. …
The fun has just begun: Incoming UCI law dean Erwin Chemerinsky will be the May commencement speaker at “rival” Chapman U. Meanwhile, Chemerinsky has landed his L.A. Times op-ed critic, California Chief Justice Ronald George, to be UCI law school’s first commencement speaker in 2012 …
OC Sheriff Mike Carona guest-hosted for Gov. Arnold on his weekly radio address …
OCers Paul Folino and Kelly (Mrs. Duane) Roberts are on Rudy Giuliani’s nine-member California Finance Leadership Team …
Irvine Valley College is dedicating a Performing Arts Center with two theaters …
Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle’s prayer breakfast with football great Lynn Swann drew 1,500 to the Anaheim Convention Center …
Flush with pride: San Juan Capistrano-based Fluidmaster is 50, South Coast Plaza is 40 and KOCE’s “Real Orange” is 10 years old.
