Another reason not to give balls to strange kids

[Juicyfruit66]

So true about the kids who expect to get all sorts of swag just by going down to field level and begging, totally learned behaviour from their collector/ seller dads. I think catching a ball that's hit or snagging bp ones are cool, but getting them cause ur short and cute, not so much. Isn't that the fun part? Telling ur kid to be ready cause we may catch one?

[Popinjaysnamesir]

I've stopped giving balls I catch to kids. I find them to have no appreciation and often greedy about it. Instead I find people who can't get one for themselves. Older people really seem to appreciate it.

Besides, everyone who has caught a ball remembers their first. Catching it yourself is a much better memory than begging some old guy for it.

[Abzk01]

Back in 1994 my older stepsister took me to a game at Three Rivers Stadium. A complete stranger tossed me a ball (not sure if it was practice used etc) and said hey there's a player over there go try and get an autograph. My stepsister took forever to try and find a pen in her purse (or at least what seemed like forever to a 10 year old kid) and by the time she did, that player was swarmed.

A little unknown player from the Montreal Expos walked past me, smiled, pointed at the ball and signed it for me and walked away and no one really noticed. I had no clue who he was at the time. I started following that players career and always hoped he did well.

In 2015, that player was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His name is Pedro Martinez. I still have the ball as it's my only piece of baseball memorabilia.

[sox83cubs84]

I've stopped giving balls I catch to kids. I find them to have no appreciation and often greedy about it. Instead I find people who can't get one for themselves. Older people really seem to appreciate it.

Besides, everyone who has caught a ball remembers their first. Catching it yourself is a much better memory than begging some old guy for it.

If I DO choose to give away a BP ball I catch or retrieve, kids are my last choice. I prefer, in order from most to third most, US military personnel, handicapped people and seniors. I haven't gotten much the last few years (heck, I've only been to one game this year and am still waiting to get on the board), but I hope to make one or two people in the above categories happy before season's end.

Dave M.