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Bill Murray’s Red Rose Bowling Ball From ‘Kingpin’ Is up for Grabs
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Ernie McCracken’s lucky ball just rolled onto the auction block.
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The character’s “red rose” bowling ball from the 1996 film classic Kingpin is now up for grabs via Heritage Auctions. The famous sporting prop can be seen in the Final Frame championship scene when Eric (played by Billy Murray), surrounded by cheering fans, prepares to throw the see-through ball down the lane, holding it up to show off the delicate red rose at its core. The prop’s whimsical charm could also be the reason Murray scores three consecutive strikes in the scene—without editing.
The collector’s item is made from translucent polyester, weighing in at 14.5 pounds (about the heaviness of what a real pro would use). Heritage obtained Eric’s ball of choice from the movie’s producer Bradley Thomas following its use in Kingpin; the prop has scuff marks and light chipping as a result. And there’s still time to snag the piece: The lot has a current bid of $37,000 in the Treasures from Planet Hollywood Entertainment Signature Auction, taking place from March 20-24. Amazon also stocks a similar version for $166, but it’s not nearly as extraordinary as the real deal is, of course.
In Kingpin, Murray’s character is known as a disreputable colleague opposite Woody Harrelson’s Roy Munson. Ernie tricks the young bowler into a con game that leaves Roy’s bowling hand crippled for life. Years later, Roy discovers an Amish bowling phenom named Ishmael (played by Randy Quaid), who he aims to help conquer the bowling world. The 1996 film is now seen as a classic sports movie.
As for the rose-colored bowling ball, Heritage’s executive vice president Joe Maddalena has an idea of what makes it so special. “It’s the sheer power of nostalgia,” he tells Robb Report. “Kingpin is a beloved movie, Bill Murray is Bill Murray—and then some in the movie—and the ball comes from a moment we all remember.” Maddalena says the iconic ball has “far surpassed its estimate” of what experts believed it would achieve on the auction block.
Of course, coveted movie props always make a splash at auction, especially when items from cinematic favorites hit the block. Forrest Gump’s Nike sneakers, Jack Dawson’s Titanic outfit, and the overcoat worn by Marlon Brando in 1972’s The Godfather were part of a 1,800-piece movie treasure trove that went to auction last year for an estimated $14 million. On the sports side of things, the memorabilia doesn’t do too bad, either; that market has turned into a booming billion-dollar business.
If you’d like to own your own piece of movie history, you can place your bids for the red rose bowling ball now at Heritage Auction.com.
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