TBM
06-13-2017, 09:14 PM
That's right, I finally joined the club. I got my first home run ball. It was at a AAA minor league game on June 10, 2017 when the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins) were playing the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) at Werner Park.
Terrance Gore had nearly 2,000 plate appearances with out a home run. Though he had a triple the night before that was inches from a home run. In the second inning Gore came up with one on and smacked a 401 foot home run that landed 20 feet in front of me on a concrete pad. It bounced straight back into the party deck. Bounced around under a table and around some chairs. it then bounced back out to the concrete pad and rolled around. In this time I covered the 20, got my glove on the ball and dove into the concrete pad ensuring no one else could knock it out of my glove. As I got up I had to check my glove to make sure the ball was actually there. It was and I started to dance around in sheer joy. My first home run ball hit by a player I cheer for and who has been an important part of two Royals postseason runs and a World Series Championship.
As I went back to my seat behind the berm a though came to me. This was also Terrance Gore's first home run ball and as much as I want it and for as long as I have been trying for one I was going to give it to him. I told my son this and it brought him to tears. He begged me to keep it. It was our first home run ball. I approached the GM of the team who arranged for me to go out to the field after the game with the winners of the jersey off their backs auction. I was able to meet and talk to Mr. Gore who happily agreed to trade a few items for the ball.
In the end I/we got a game used signed bat, game used signed cleats, the batting gloves he used to hit the home run with and a signed ball. A pretty good haul I thought. I did ask for the bat he hit the home run with but he wanted to keep that and I can't blame him for that. Gore told us that he had never signed a pair of cleats before so these are a one of a kind item at the moment. I have also been able to photomatch the bat to games in the middle of May 2017. In the end my boy was happy we traded the ball because we got game used cleats!
Here is a link to the video of Gore's home run. You can see me (in blue) coming from the right side of the screen towards the ball then diving into the concrete pad right before it goes back to Gore circling third base.
http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=1485937383&topic_id=26477630&c_id=t541&sid=t541
Terrance Gore had nearly 2,000 plate appearances with out a home run. Though he had a triple the night before that was inches from a home run. In the second inning Gore came up with one on and smacked a 401 foot home run that landed 20 feet in front of me on a concrete pad. It bounced straight back into the party deck. Bounced around under a table and around some chairs. it then bounced back out to the concrete pad and rolled around. In this time I covered the 20, got my glove on the ball and dove into the concrete pad ensuring no one else could knock it out of my glove. As I got up I had to check my glove to make sure the ball was actually there. It was and I started to dance around in sheer joy. My first home run ball hit by a player I cheer for and who has been an important part of two Royals postseason runs and a World Series Championship.
As I went back to my seat behind the berm a though came to me. This was also Terrance Gore's first home run ball and as much as I want it and for as long as I have been trying for one I was going to give it to him. I told my son this and it brought him to tears. He begged me to keep it. It was our first home run ball. I approached the GM of the team who arranged for me to go out to the field after the game with the winners of the jersey off their backs auction. I was able to meet and talk to Mr. Gore who happily agreed to trade a few items for the ball.
In the end I/we got a game used signed bat, game used signed cleats, the batting gloves he used to hit the home run with and a signed ball. A pretty good haul I thought. I did ask for the bat he hit the home run with but he wanted to keep that and I can't blame him for that. Gore told us that he had never signed a pair of cleats before so these are a one of a kind item at the moment. I have also been able to photomatch the bat to games in the middle of May 2017. In the end my boy was happy we traded the ball because we got game used cleats!
Here is a link to the video of Gore's home run. You can see me (in blue) coming from the right side of the screen towards the ball then diving into the concrete pad right before it goes back to Gore circling third base.
http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=1485937383&topic_id=26477630&c_id=t541&sid=t541