. . . AND BEST IN 2 VERY DIFFERENT MEN.

Byline: Rob Gloster Associated Press

Pitcher Orel Hershiser saw the tears in a fan's eyes, and made them disappear with his generosity.

Hershiser gave a $5,000 check to a Florida family Sunday in exchange for the ball that San Francisco Giants teammate Barry Bonds hit for his 400th career home run.

The homer, during a game against the Marlins in Miami, made Bonds the first player in major-league history with 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases. The ball was caught in the right-field seats by Joe Sica of Hialeah, Fla., who offered to give Bonds the ball in exchange for an autograph.

Hershiser was in the clubhouse when Sica came by with his wife and two children.

``The game was going on, and the family was brought to the clubhouse,'' Hershiser said Wednesday. ``They didn't want any money; they just wanted to meet Barry and get an autograph. They were going to give him the ball.''

The Sicas had been offered money by collectors for the ball.

``They had been offered $5,000 for it, and I could see that it was a sensitive issue, because the wife had tears in her eyes,'' Hershiser said. ``They were good people who were short of money, so I didn't hesitate in telling them I would get them their money.''

Hershiser told Giants traveling secretary Reggie Younger Jr. to write the Sicas a check for $5,000 and then deduct it from his paycheck. When Bonds came out of the game, Hershiser gave him the ball.

``When I gave him the ball, he offered to pay for it,'' Hershiser said. ``But I said, `No, this is something I wanted to do.' ''

Bonds, who will donate the spikes he wore Sunday to the Hall of Fame, gave the batting gloves he wore to Orel Hershiser's son, Jordan, who is a Giants batboy.

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PHOTO (color) Orel Hershiser

Gives family $5,000 for ball