Chamberlain's 100-Point Ball Sells for $67,791

N E W  Y O R K, Oct. 6 -- The ball from Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point gamesold at auction for $67,791 today, about $484,000 less than itdrew in April before questions were raised about its authenticity.

Doubts about whether it was indeed the ball the latePhiladelphia Warriors star used to score his 100th point cost KerryRyman about $430,000. Ryman, now a crane operator, grabbed the ball from Chamberlain 38 years ago.

Ryman would have realized about $490,000 after commissions from the first sale, which was nullified. He will get just under $59,000 from this sale.The purchaser was described as a prominent East Coast collectorby Marty Appel, a spokesman for the auction house.

Authenticity Questioned

The person who made the successful $551,844 bid in April did notparticipate this time, Appel said.

That purchase was nullified by Leland’s Dynasties Auctions whenthe authenticity of the ball from the March 2, 1962, game inHershey, Pa., was questioned.

“We withdrew the ball so we could do further research,”Leland’s owner Josh Evans said at the time.

Ryman was 14 when he dashed on the floor and swiped the balljust before the end of the game. Many years later, he tried severaltimes to return it to Chamberlain. But the Hall of Famer showed nointerest, so Ryman kept the ball until Chamberlain died last year.

After the ball was originally sold, Harvey Pollack, a longtimeWarriors employee, who was at courtside for the historic game withthe Knicks, said referee Willie Smith removed the ball afterChamberlain scored his 100th point.

Pollack said another ball was used for the game’s final 46seconds and claimed the substitute ball was the one Ryman took.

Instant Replay Available?

“Mr. Pollack is wrong,” Ryman said. “After Wilt scored 100, the referee stopped the game and threw the ball to Wilt. He bounced the ball on the floor, and I grabbed it.”

Pollack said the 100-point ball was signed by Chamberlain andhis teammates and put on display. Ryman insists the ball theysigned was the replacement ball.