Catching home run balls has become a controversial topic over the past couple years. And recently the story about the Dodgers bullying a couple over handing over a Shohei Ohtani HR ball caught national attention.
There is the debate over HRs that represent a significant moment for a hitter. But there is also another controversy that has been gaining traction within the baseball world.
And it has to do with kids.
In the past, if you caught a ball – whether it was a fair or foul one – it was yours to keep. Today, there is a lot of pressure from fans in the stands to give it up to a child.
What should be the proper etiquette for adults who catch balls?
Today’s blog addresses this question and allows readers to share their thoughts in more detail. And hopefully, to actively engage with others by responding to their posts and creating back-and-forth discussion threads. The more the merrier!
For this one blog only, you’ve got 6 sentences max to share your thoughts. Of course, you can also respond to other readers.
TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.
Ready?
Make sure to come back and check the final results!
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to a maximum of 6 sentences and must address the day’s topic. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page in order for your comments to be published.
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Should Riley Greene continue his style of diving for balls in the outfield?
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- Yes, it’s important for as many runners as possible to be kept off base. 46%
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Wow, dangerous territory here! Several years ago while attending a spring training game with my wife, I caught a foul ball hit by Rey Odonez of the Mets and cordially awarded it to a few elderly ladies who where actually Met fans visiting Joker Marchant Stadium for the first time. To this day my wife has not forgiven me for not initially offering her the ball first! As a result, I generally now ‘take cover’ when anything is hit or thrown in our direction and head for the concession stands or restroom depending on the need!
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in my day you caught it you kept it. my first two baseballs were tigers foul balls. Nowadays we need the the kids to get into it so give them all the prizes.
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Compassion is not governed by a set of rules. It comes from the heart and its execution should be in the hands of the one who secured the ball. So I voted for the adult to make the choice to give or simply receive. I certainly hope like Mike that the kids get all the prizes and that the giver gives because they want to not because they feel pressured to. We all want these kids to love our grand old game so what better way to excite them than to hand them a ball.That’s the idealistic approach however the acquisition of a famed ball becomes the slippery slope because money becomes involved or overbearing organizations get involved.
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And maybe, just maybe, the receiver has a child at home who they want to give it too. No pressure should be given, period.
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About 5 years ago James Outman who is CF for the LA Dodgers now hit a grand slam in the 6th inning of a game at Midland Dow Stadium for the Great Lakes Loons. There was a contest and my wife’s name was drawn prior to the grand slam. My wife won $5000 and took down to the field. A little boy came up to her and presented her the home run ball. The Loons in return gave the boy an autographed bat and some other things. James Outman ended up with a fan for life.
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If you catch it on the fly or first bounce, it is yours to do with what you wish. If you shove others to catch it, or scramble to find it under chairs, it is still yours to do with as you wish, but you should examine your life. Exception for true milestone baseballs, go get it and keep it.
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On the occasion I go to a game, I always scout the area around my seat, to try and locate the nearby kid that will get the ball that I catch. It’s worked perfectly to date. (Haven’t gotten one yet) I would love the opportunity to have the ballpark security folks try to take one from me, someday.
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I’ve never understood the thrill of holding onto a foul ball or a home run. As a grown adult, what do you do with it? Take it home and put it on the mantle? It just seems silly, give the ball to the nearest kid.
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It will essentially be for the kid through inheritance ifit is memorable. Giving it to child in the stands is ok if it doesn’t mean anything but presseure shouldn’t be used.
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Let the person who gets the ball fairly (no pushing, fighting, etc.) do with it as they please. The only ball I ever got was hit by Carl Yastrzemski into the lower-deck, left field bleachers at Tiger stadium in the late 1960’s during pre-game batting practice. So few people were there at the time that I just casually walked over a few rows and picked it up. After storing it in a drawer for a few years, and after I had kids, I gave it to them to play catch with.
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I have a very simple rule: if I catch it on the fly, I feel like I’ve earned it, so I keep it. If it bounces to me, especially off someone else’s hands, I don’t feel like I earned it, so I’ll give it to a kid. I don’t think it’s silly at all to keep it, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks of me if I decide to keep it.
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I think the last foul ball I kept came into the press box at Five County Stadium in North Carolina when the Mudcats were still in the Southern League. However, there was a 40-something guy with a glove on at the Tampa Tarpons game last week, trying to outmuscle all the 10-year-olds for foul balls from minor leaguers. It’s a kid’s game. Let the kids enjoy a souvenir.
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This is a timely topic as it happened to me recently. I was at a game recently and Mark Canha randomly threw the ball into the crowd and not to anyone in particular. Sure enough, it bounced to me and almost immediately, I was pressured by a guy behind me to “give it to the kid” who was right in front of me. When I did, he yelled, “there you go.” In my mind he had no right to tell me what to do with that ball or to say, “there you go” when I did so as if I had never been to a ballgame before and he was showing me the ropes. Nor would I tell anyone else what to do with a ball they got.
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