Why won't they let you keep a bat swung into the stands

[stasman]

If you didn't see it, in Chicago a couple days ago, Tyler Flowers loses his bat during a swing and it fly's into the stands. A woman makes a great catch to save the baby behind her. She's national news.. I just heard that they took that bat and gave her another of Flowers signed by him.
Why wouldn't they let her keep that bat like catching a ball? Could you argue and keep that bat? Would they throw you out if you refused to give it back? I know if the player would want it back it would be the right thing to do, but what a cool item to keep. What's your feelings?

[lakeerie92]

I have seen it several times and every time I have seen it they let the person keep the bat. I have seen it at Turner Field and Petco Park. They in all cases took the bat temporarily because you are not allowed to keep bats in the stadium.

[metsbats]

Players take the good quality bats from the set of bats sent to them and reserve them as game bats. All the rest most likely become BP bats so there's a good chance they want those game bats back.

[coxfan]

Players specify the kind of bats they want, including weight, whether cupped, etc. and those are included in the order to the factory. Many arrive with the players's names on them. Some stars have social signature deals with the factory. So a bat's more personalized than a ball.

[stasman]

But could you refuse to give it back? Just wondering.

[metsbats]

Food and Beverage
Visit nationals.com/concessions for food and beverage information. Also see OUTSIDE FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
Foul Balls, Home Run Balls and Bats
All guests are asked to stay alert throughout the game for foul balls or bats that might leave the playing area. See INJURY DISCLAIMER. Guests are permitted to keep all foul and home run balls that are hit into the seats, but are asked to be cautious and courteous to others when collecting a ball. Bats entering the stands must be returned if requested by the Nationals or visiting team. Guests are prohibited from throwing balls back onto the field. Violators are subject to ejection or possible arrest. Any guest that interferes with a ball in play or the game in any way is subject to ejection from Nationals Park. See GUEST CONDUCT POLICY (General Guidelines).


I found this on the Nat's website. I could not find any similiar rule on the Mets website. Each team may have a different policy on bats.

[metsbats]

But could you refuse to give it back? Just wondering.

You can probably refuse and ask to see the stadium rule that states you must give it back at the request of the player.

[stasman]

Interesting.

[coxfan]

Thanks, Metsbats. It's smart for teams to create and publish policy, especially with all the lawyers and frivolous suits around these days. Nearly a century ago, a little boy was taken to jail for refusing to return a foul at an MLB game. ( I've forgotten which team.) The judge ruled the next day he'd done nothing wrong, and soon everybody was allowing fouls to be kept.

in the 1840's through 1860's or so, balls were hand- made by whoever happened to be available locally who knew how. Those balls varied a lot, and it was part of strategy for teams to try to provide livelier or deader balls, or even lighter or darker covered ones, depending on their strengths and those of their opponent. If a ball went out of play, they usually stopped play until it could be found.

Until recent years, college teams sent kids to retrieve foul balls, and fans were expected to return them. Now college teams are actually throwing them to fans. Fast-pitch softball games in colleges still require balls to be returned. College basketball games use one ball for the game, and fans are required to throw it back. College soccer games use three balls (two kept on the sidelines to be thrown quickly into play) and fans must return any on the stands.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Even without a published policy explicitly stating you can't keep a bat, the stadium is still considered legally private property, with your ticket being a guest contract. If you refused to return a bat, they could always remove you from the game and charge you with theft.