Seeking help from the airwaves - NYDailyNews.com

Guy who scored A-Rod's homer wants Francesa and Russo's advice

Source: NYDailyNews.com
By: Mike Jaccarino and Corky Siemaszko

"This is Sonny from Columbus, N.J. What should I do with Alex Rodriguez's 500th home run ball?"

That is the question Walter (Sonny) Kowalczyk, the Yankees fan who corralled the historic cowhide on Saturday, wants to pose to Mike Francesa and Chris (Mad Dog) Russo of WFAN's "Mike and the Mad Dog" sports talk radio show.

"We just want to go on the show," Kowalczyk's brother Brian said yesterday. "Sonny trusts their opinion. Sonny wants to know what Mike thinks it's worth."

In the meantime, Kowalczyk, 29, is lying low - and terrified of getting ripped off.

"He's afraid to walk the streets with it," said Brian Kowalczyk., 31, who is a Trenton gang-crimes cop. "He doesn't know where to put it or what to do with it. . . . I'm going up tomorrow with my weapon."

Francesa could not be reached for comment last night.

"I believe he would pay upwards of $100,000 to $150,000 for the ball," Tuchman said of A-Rod. "If I was Mr. Kowalczyk, I would get someone in the business to represent him in dealing with Alex's lawyers."

Yankees flack Jason Zillo said they haven't had any contact with Kowalczyk since Saturday. According to sources, the Yanks offered Kowalczyk $10,000 for the ball - an offer he rejected.

"We hope he gives Alex the first chance to obtain it," Zillo said.

"It's rightfully [Kowalczyk's] baseball now."

Brian Kowalczyk said his brother probably would sell it to A-Rod if the superstar asked. Kowalczyk said his brother has had his share of tough breaks, like when he got fired as a probationary Mercer County, N.J., sheriff's officer for falling asleep in a courtroom.

The elder Kowalczyk also said he's convinced their late grandfather, a rabid Yankees fan named Orlando Scartocci, had something to do with his brother's stroke of good fortune.

"I think he willed that ball into his hands," he said.