Here in Columbia, SC, getting g-u balls from the gamecocks is not easy. We average over 5,000 fans per game, ( at least 10 times the national average) and ball-hawking has increased a lot since the national title last year.

But I've noticed a few things, and I'd invite any other observations:

1) The college balls are rubbed up like professional balls. NCAA rules specify they must be "rubbed up to remove the gloss", adding that "moistened river silk makes an excellent material to remove the gloss from baseballs." Thus, g-u balls can be identified by their rub-up.

2) College teams keep balls in play longer, even when they have infield dirt stains on them. The last ball of an inning is always thrown back to the mound. Balls are rarely thrown to fans.

3) College teams often re-use game balls for practice, although they also buy cheaper practice-only brands (such as "official League" or "Wilson TT9").

4) The NCAA provides "R1NCAA" balls for the Regionals and Super-regionals. Does anyone know if these balls are used for games other than in the NCAA Tournament? All conferences seem to have their own conference imprint on standard NCAA balls during the year.