Williams has said he went with Overstock Auctions because "you can't dupe the system." He also has said he hopes the winning bidder puts the ball in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He has committed to donating 10 percent of auction proceeds over $200,000 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Edgewood Center for Children and Families in San Francisco, and he wants to buy his mom a convertible and perhaps return to college to get his degree.

Williams, a mortgage broker assistant, was judged the rightful owner of the ball by a San Francisco County superior judge on Oct. 1. One fan contended Williams snatched the ball when it was locked behind his knees at the bottom of a pile of fans scurrying to grab a piece of history.

Bonds' race for the all-time home run record continues next season. With 703 career big flies, Bonds will try to eclipse Henry Aaron's 755 and Babe Ruth's 714.

Johnson said Overstock had expected a rush of bids on Monday but, because the item is unique, no one is sure what the winner will pay. Overstock Auction's items so far have included a car that sold for $12,500 and some real estate that nabbed $137,000.

"We're a start-up operation, and I think people will be excited to find out what this ball goes for," he said. "We've not had an item like this go up before, but we did expect an initial burst, and I think there's going to be a flurry of activity at the end as well."

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