NEW YORK — The fan who caught Barry Bonds's record-breaking 756th home run last month said he'll sell the ball that might be worth $500,000.

Sotheby's and SCP Auctions Inc. will sell the ball along with Bonds's record-tying 755th home run during an Internet auction that begins on August 28, according to a press release.

Matt Murphy, a 21-year-old student from New York, caught the ball at AT&T Park in San Francisco on August 7 and was escorted out of the stands by security guards. With that home run, Bonds of the San Francisco Giants passed Hank Aaron to become Major League Baseball's career home run leader.

"Ideally, what I would love to happen would be for someone to buy the ball and donate it to the Hall of Fame," Murphy said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "It's a piece of history and belongs in the Hall."

Murphy held a press conference today at a San Francisco restaurant to announce his decision. He declined to talk with reporters after the historic night and went ahead with plans to go to Australia to visit a friend.

The ball might be worth $500,000, sports memorabilia experts have said. Its value is cut in half because of steroid allegations surrounding Bonds, they said.

Murphy declined to estimate what the ball could be worth, and said his only thought while being escorted to safety was protecting his new acquisition.