If you catch a significant HR or even a ground-rule double, would you...

[godwulf]

At Chase Field, in Phoenix, if you catch a HR ball hit by one of the Diamondbacks, somebody comes down and asks if you would like it signed by the hitter...and if you elect to do so, they will tag and bag the ball, take your personal information, and the ball gets mailed to you. Of course, you're free to opt out.

Other team HR balls, you're on your own. Unfortunately, the Chicago practice of throwing those balls back onto the field has found it's way here, and you do see idiots who will do that or encourage others to do so.

Even if I didn't care about keeping a HR ball hit by an opponent, I would look around and find a kid wearing that team's jersey and make him a present of it, rather than throw it back. Of course, if it were a big other-team star player, some HoF lock, I'd probably want to keep it anyway, just for the heck of it. Maybe list it in the C-to-C forum.

Historic or milestone balls, the DBacks management will set up a meet between you and the player to discuss a trade.

What I'd ask for in a situation like that would depend entirely on the player, and the nature of the milestone...but generally speaking, a nice game-used bat and a jersey would be my goal.

[legaleagle92481]

It is too hard for me to imagine. When I lived in the St Louis area, I never came close to a HR ball during an actual game. If I was fortunate enough to get that lucky, I would probably faint and have it taken from me before I had a chance to decide what to do.

Balls are so hard to catch in a crowded stadium I have been to alot of games and never come close to catching anything. The closest I got was last summer Gary Sheffield hit a ball that bounced off the seat two seats to my left and into the hands of the teenager sitting behind that seat. Other than that nada.

[ballhawknet]

so did you just go along with Bill when he said he received the his first hit ball?


Actually Dave M . saw him first , I dont know what exactly was said between them , but Dave M. came outside and told me Bill had the ball allready . lol. When I did see Hall yes I told him that I had the ball
and someone lied to him . I guess I could have just given it to him
then but I thought heck , if he doesnt believe me ( which I really
dont think he does ) whats point in giving it to him . Ive seen him 5-6
times since then in other parks and he rarely says anything when I
say hello other than " Did you bring my ball ? " .So maybe he does
believe me maybe he doesnt. He's got my number ....lol .

[Genke]

1. ... give it back to the rightful owner

• because it was his to start with. He EARNED it! OR
• in exchange for whatever signed stuff he think it worth OR
• demand what you want in exchange for the baseball

or
2. ... Hold onto to it and put it on auction and hope to get highest amount

or
3. ... Give it to the Hall Of Fame Museum since it belongs there.



Would love to see the responses from this forum.....

Give it back to the rightful owner is, of course, just your opinion, because the rightful owner is the one who ends up with it under proper circumstances (didn't plow through a young kid to catch it, didn't wrestle someone to the ground and overtake the ball from their clenched fist, etc.)

What "belongs" in the Hall of Fame is also just an opinion. The Hall Of Fame is largely the recipient of "gifts", and mainly from the actual players and teams in MLB.

You seem to be a very active new member. What is the obsession on these posts you are making? They seem to go all over the place. What is behind all of this?

[Genke]

Ballhawknet's remarks about obnoxious and nasty security and team personnel are right on the money. I've seen a few examples myself, such as a summer day at Old Comiskey Park in 1982. Scott Fletcher hit his first MLB HR, and I dashed to where it landed and found the guy who caught it. Unfortunately, the ball he had was a brand new one, and he said that Sox Security guards told him he HAD to give it back..that new ball was his consolation prize, apparentlly.

Too often the team will either convince you that the ball has no worth (as Dave D. alluded to) when you leave the park, or security types will try to intimidate fans into giving it up, which fans usually fall for because either the intimidation works, or else they're too caught up in the moment to reason their options out fully (as Suicide Squeeze mentioned many months ago).

Either way, if you're ever lucky enough to be in this situation (which, out of the 13 HRs I've snagged, I haven't), keep your wits about you and don't let pushy security guards or nearby fans make your decision for you.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Highlighted above, this is the best advice a baseball fan could receive on this subject matter. Live by it.

[schubert1970]

So I kept all of my baseballs - I may have given one or two away if it happened to be duplicated player (i. e. Gary Sheffield -- got like 4 HR balls from him total)

Just curious, what dates are your Sheff HR balls from?

[Genke]

Just curious, what dates are your Sheff HR balls from?

Waiting.......I'd like to know too.................................

[Genke]

I caught about 15-20 HR balls at the old Yankee Stadium. NO SECURITY personel has come and asked for the ball. But they did come down to where I was and "advised" me to keep the ball and DO NOT throw it back - since the HR ball was from the opposite team.

Please excuse me if I am interpreting your story incorrectly, but your butchered english makes it very difficult to understand.

Are you saying that you have caught 15-20 home run balls over the years, and they were ALL visitor-hit home runs?

That's some kind of unlucky-lucky ball hawking there, guy?

[thomecollector]

Ever get a Thome HR ?

[sox83cubs84]

Are you saying that you have caught 15-20 home run balls over the years, and they were ALL visitor-hit home runs?

That's some kind of unlucky-lucky ball hawking there, guy?[/quote]

Actually, my Wrigley Field home runs (6 total) fall a similar category. The first (Andre Dawson #396) is the only Cubs homer. The other five were all from the "bad guys" (Biggio, Bret Boone, Charles Johnson, Derek Bell, Bichette). I threw NOTHING back...not even a dummy ball. After the Bichette, though, one of the other guys on Waveland Ave. (I can't recall who) got nervous about being whaled on by bleacher drunks, so a dummy ball was thrown back on my behalf).

Dave M.
Chicgo area