There is a legal dispute over Barry Bonds 73rd home run ball, and eMoo thinks that the judge should split the ball in half. I disagree. Nonlawyers typically think that disputes can be resolved by splitting the difference. eMoo likes to write about Israeli-Arab disputes, but I don't see him saying that the sides should just split the disputed territory in half.

According to witnesses, Popov caught the ball first. Then the ball was stolen from him. Hayashi's main argument is that there is a tradition in baseball to let the fans fight it out, and to equate possession with ownership. But that is just because stadium ushers and officials do not want to be bothered resolving a dispute. Giving Hayashi the ball, or even half a ball, is just condoning mugging and theft. Hayashi should gain nothing.