Fan at Comiskey Park Ejected for Throwing Home Run Ball Back on Field

[trsent]

So, I attended a rare White Sox game since giving up my season tickets after the 1994 partial season shied me away from baseball games.

Late in the game, former White Sox Miguel Olivo hits a home run and the fan in the outfield throws the ball back on the field. A few minutes later security can be seen escorting the fan from the stands.

What's up with that? I know it is a stupid tradition at Wrigley Field for fans to return opposing teams home run balls to the field of play, but I never knew the practice was "illegal".

I don't get it, the ball is part of the game, so technically, an unknowing fan could be returning the ball to the field. Ok, that is far-fetched, but really, they eject fans for this?

[coxfan]

I don't know what occurred here, but I agree that yelling at fans to tell them to throw the ball back is a bad custom. Unfortunately, Rangers' fans have picked that up. I saw a fan at a Rangers' game badgered repeatedly until he threw it back.

I'd regard a HR ball of he opponent as a good thing to keep if my tram won anyway. And the fan might have a connection to the other team, or know someone who does.

[trsent]

I don't know what occurred here, but I agree that yelling at fans to tell them to throw the ball back is a bad custom. Unfortunately, Rangers' fans have picked that up. I saw a fan at a Rangers' game badgered repeatedly until he threw it back.

I'd regard a HR ball of he opponent as a good thing to keep if my tram won anyway. And the fan might have a connection to the other team, or know someone who does.

All the games that a normal guy like myself has attended, and one foul ball line drive off my hand (lost ball, hand hurt for a week, thanks Frank Thomas) and two balls given to me out of the dugout at the end of a game (final out balls) and that is all I have had.

If I caught a home run ball at any park I'd keep it since it would be the first legitimate ball I ever caught.

[salukidave]

I'm a Sox fan who, while never having seen a fan get kicked out for throwing a home run ball on the field, is all for it. It's a stupid traditonal on the North Side of town. It doesn't need to take place anywhere else. Why should fans be allowed to throw a ball or anything else on the field? It's just dumb.

[godwulf]

Next to garlic fries and The Wave, yelling at a fan to throw a home run ball back onto the field is probably just about the stupidest ballpark "tradition" to come down the road. I see no difference between tossing a baseball from the stands and throwing a beer bottle - eject the tosser in both cases, by all means, and start at Wrigley.

[ballhawknet]

Next to garlic fries and The Wave, yelling at a fan to throw a home run ball back onto the field is probably just about the stupidest ballpark "tradition" to come down the road. I see no difference between tossing a baseball from the stands and throwing a beer bottle - eject the tosser in both cases, by all means, and start at Wrigley.

I agree it is a dumb tradition . I only do it ( fake ball of course ) because honestly .... its fun ! To see just how far I can throw the ball , maybe get a piece of the guy rounding second base ... lol J/K . And many times it turns out to be the " play of the day "

I disagree about it being the same as a beer bottle . All players around the leagues are aware that there is a chance the opposing team hr ball is going to be tossed back so they keep an eye out until the game resumes . And usually its a weak 50 foot toss ... lol. The pressure of having dozens if not a hundred or so fans yelling to toss it back is enough to make most fans give in and do it. And for that reason I don't think they should eject fans for doing it.

White Sox have not always ejected the fans. Although the last 5+ years Ive seen dozens of fans removed for doing so at the park. As long as it gets done quickly , like before the next pitch , I don't see anything wrong with it .

I have to brag and say my favorite toss back was at US Cellular , I forget the batter , but the shortstop never even turned to watch the homer . He just stood there bent over with his hands on his knees and the throwback rolled right through his legs.

[sox83cubs84]

Technically, it falls under "throwing objects on the playing field", and should be grounds for ejection. Wrigley Field looks the other way, partially due to a few of the reasons Dave D. cited, and partially to maintain the frat party image the Bud Light Bleachers reflects.

The Cubs don't eject fans who throw baseballs back, but, in the mid-1990s, they DID eject a fan for dumping his grandfather's ashes (Grandpa's wish) on the left center field warning track during the 7th inning stretch.

Personally, this is dumb, and drunks in the bleachers at Wrigley sometimes take the "throw it back" demands to an extreme where the safety of the fan who has the enemy home run ball is jeopardized. I've seen fans showered with garbage, an old man intimidated to the point of having a case of the shakes, know a fan who was literally chased out of the bleachers, and have been told by older Ballhawks of bleacher drunks ripping offending baseballs out of kids' hands to fulfill the tradition. And, one of the Waveland Avenue guys a number of years ago threw a ball back after I pounced on a Dante Bichette home run, because he was worried that, if I didn't throw the Bichette ball back (which I refused to do), that he feared bleacher bums would come out on the street and kick our asses.

The Cubs will continue to allow this idiocy until the day comes where a fan is physically harmed or injured by a bleacher idiot who's had too much to drink,

[sox83cubs84]

FTR...I have gotten 5 visitor HR game baseballs at Wrigley (Bret Boone, Biggio, Charles Johnson, Derek Bell, and Bichette) both in the stands and on the street...I have NEVER thrown one back, and, if I get one in the future, never will. The bleacher drunks yelling at me can stick it where the sun never shines!

Dave Miedema

[jobathenut]

Wow dave, you caught a charles johnson home run.Thats really rare....Just kidding,he was my favorite player, as he played for my favorite college team the hurricanes.I love the maimi hurricanes and they had a awesome team back then.And charles johnson was the best.I was a big fan og his.....

FTR...I have gotten 5 visitor HR game baseballs at Wrigley (Bret Boone, Biggio, Charles Johnson, Derek Bell, and Bichette) both in the stands and on the street...I have NEVER thrown one back, and, if I get one in the future, never will. The bleacher drunks yelling at me can stick it where the sun never shines!

Dave Miedema

[frikativ54]

FTR...I have gotten 5 visitor HR game baseballs at Wrigley (Bret Boone, Biggio, Charles Johnson, Derek Bell, and Bichette) both in the stands and on the street...I have NEVER thrown one back, and, if I get one in the future, never will. The bleacher drunks yelling at me can stick it where the sun never shines!

Dave Miedema

I definitely agree with the sentiment. For one thing, I think the "tradition" is quite rude.