Unusual Game Used Baseball

[xpress34]

So, this past week - in fact a week ago today - the wife and I were vacation in San Francisco and went to the Rox @ Oak day game at O.Co Stadium.

I went to the GU area as this was my 1st game there and asked about getting a GU ball. I was told they will get balls AFTER each team has their 1st hit and to come back.

I the 1st inning, Charlie Blackmon led off with a walkfor the Rockies, LeMehieu hit into a double play and Nolan Arenado popped out to short after a 1st pitch foul off his bat hit HP Ump Tom Hallion squarely in the mask and Hallion removed himself from the game.

In the bottom of the 1st Zobrist dbld for the A's.

Top of the 2nd Cargo dbld for the Rox. Both teams now had a hit.

I went back to GU around the top of the 4th and the girl had three balls available. Unlike every other GU I've been to, they do NOT get a copy of what each ball was, so it was a crapshoot. Ball is MLB Authenticated, but info won't be available for a day or two at the earliest. So I took the lowest numbered ball expecting it might be Zobrist or Cargo dbl.

Well, it came up on MLB finally on Monday - it was foul ball from Arenado in the 1st. I thought there is no way they authenticated a ball that knocked an ump out from a game.

I checked ESPN Box Scores and went to the 'pitch by pitch' feature and there was the proof:

Nolan Arenado Strike (foul), Ball, Strike (swinging), Arenado popped out to shortstop

The ball I bought is THE ball that took out Hallion. The only foul ball from that at bat.

I pulled the ball out and sure enough, it has a dent on one side where it hit Hallion's mask.

Nolan was doing a local sports show Monday evening, so I went and had him sign the ball under the MLB logo and hopefully I can catch up to Tom Hallion this season and get him to sweet spot it!

Just wanted to share!

[HawaiiSportsNut]

Cool story. Hope you can get the 2nd signature.

So, this past week - in fact a week ago today - the wife and I were vacation in San Francisco and went to the Rox @ Oak day game at O.Co Stadium.

I went to the GU area as this was my 1st game there and asked about getting a GU ball. I was told they will get balls AFTER each team has their 1st hit and to come back.

I the 1st inning, Charlie Blackmon led off with a walkfor the Rockies, LeMehieu hit into a double play and Nolan Arenado popped out to short after a 1st pitch foul off his bat hit HP Ump Tom Hallion squarely in the mask and Hallion removed himself from the game.

In the bottom of the 1st Zobrist dbld for the A's.

Top of the 2nd Cargo dbld for the Rox. Both teams now had a hit.

I went back to GU around the top of the 4th and the girl had three balls available. Unlike every other GU I've been to, they do NOT get a copy of what each ball was, so it was a crapshoot. Ball is MLB Authenticated, but info won't be available for a day or two at the earliest. So I took the lowest numbered ball expecting it might be Zobrist or Cargo dbl.

Well, it came up on MLB finally on Monday - it was foul ball from Arenado in the 1st. I thought there is no way they authenticated a ball that knocked an ump out from a game.

I checked ESPN Box Scores and went to the 'pitch by pitch' feature and there was the proof:

Nolan Arenado Strike (foul), Ball, Strike (swinging), Arenado popped out to shortstop

The ball I bought is THE ball that took out Hallion. The only foul ball from that at bat.

I pulled the ball out and sure enough, it has a dent on one side where it hit Hallion's mask.

Nolan was doing a local sports show Monday evening, so I went and had him sign the ball under the MLB logo and hopefully I can catch up to Tom Hallion this season and get him to sweet spot it!

Just wanted to share!