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I was able to earn a Sociology minor in college and probably should have gone through Grad School because of it, so from time to time I like to brush up on my skills and make my own little report card on Society. I usually just keep it to myself because it involves Politics, how people drive, people who have too many items in the express checkout of the grocery store, helping old ladies across the street, etc. You get the point. This time I'll bring it to you in full effect. You should now feel impressed.
On Saturday Night I went to the Indiapolis Indians (Triple-A Affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates) game against the Richmond Braves with 'The Lovely Dentist' (she may not approve of that name, but it's my site). This is always a great time because the Indians have a beautiful ballpark (Victory Field), the stadium is always filled and the games are usually very competitive (this one was no different). It's a good place to go with a group of friends, a wonderful place to take the family and an excellent place to take a date if they enjoy baseball.
So, we are sitting along the first base line enjoying the game in the 6th inning when we were watching the Indians mascot perform one of his routines on an unassuming fan down the row from us. 'The Lovely Dentist' pulls out her camera because she thinks it's funny/cute/she's a girl and gets ready to snap off a picture or two.....
Next thing I know all the people around us are rising to their feet. I quickly scan the field and see that nothing is happening, so by using my deductive reasoning I come up with.....foul ball. I look up into the sky and the ball is coming straight down on us. I could really care less about catching foul balls so I'm just trying to make sure guys aren't barrelling down over us to get to it. Finally, a lucky guy in his 30's makes the catch. It was a pretty nice catch, he acted like it didn't sting. I know it did, but he was with a girl so he was trying to act tough.
This is where the plot thickens.....In the 8th inning an elderly woman brings three of her grandchildren to the seat of 'the foul ball guy' and asks politely if her grandchildren can look at the ball. 'Foul Ball Guy' lets the kids hold the ball and you can just see that they are in utter amazement of it (kids get like that). They are all ooohing and aaahhing, asking him if it hurt when he caught it. The kids were really loving the moment. Then, the inexplicable happened......
The guy didn't give the ball to the kids.He just let them walk away. Now, I know he 'earned' it and its his right to have the ball, but come on. I start to get a little irritated by this turn of events and if I were with a group of my friends I probably would have poked the guy in the chest and told him to give the ball up. Alas, I was not, but you can imagine I was fairly upset (and not drunk).
Here's the point. If you are at the ballgame and you catch a foul ball, give it to a kid sitting next to you. You don't need the ball, what are you going to do with it? Stick it in your change jar when you get home? Pass the ball onto a kid and let him sit there in a euphoric state as they stare at the ball and run their fingers over the seams of a professional baseball. As a fan of baseball, it is your duty to pass that love of the game onto others and giving away 'your' foul ball to a kid very well could help them start a lifelong love for the game.
Society Grade - D- to the douchebag who kept the ball. A+ to me for not punching him and getting thrown into jail.
(That picture is of a kid named Max at a Twins game after he caught a ball Torii Hunter hit. I stole the picture from some site his family has. Thanks Max!)
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2008 Cubs Preview
You'll be proud of me, Jack. I bring my glove to pretty much every game. I've caught one foul ball, and I kept it only because there were no children around. But if I'm at batting practice or even during the game itself, I look around for a kid I'll give a ball to if I catch one.
A+ to you Erin. We need more people to follow suit on that one
A few years ago, I went to a Staten Island Yankee's game (the single A affiliate of the Yanks.) I went with my little brother, and my dad. We are sitting in the front row down the 3rd baseline (because at minor league games, you can sit just about anywhere for less than 10 dollars.) The players are warming up, and I lean to my little bro and tell him, "You are going to want to keep your head up here and pay attention, these guys are not Major Leaguers, this is single A." Not but 5 seconds after I said that, a ball goes sailing over one of the player's heads and plunks the chair directly next to me. I turn to my brother, "Told ya." So I grab the ball, thinking that I have it, but the player comes over and actually asks for it back...I of course laughed at him, and told him to go get another one. After some begging and pleading, I finally give it back to him, only on one condition. That he give it to the kid sitting 5 seats down from us...the player agreed, so it made the kid's day, the player content, and of course me happy (for both making fun of the player, and for doing something for the kid)
I'm surprised you didn't throw it over the outfield wall when you picked it up. Nice move though on those negotiations.
I'm lucky. If I ever catch a foul ball, my kid should be sitting right next to me when it happens. In fact, at four, he's already more athletic, so maybe I'll let him make the catch.
That's funny E. I just get frustrated with those guys who go to the game and don't let the kids have the foul balls. Does it really mean that much to them?
I'm going to have to disagree with you for once Jack. While I agree it's the douchebag move to pummel a group of kids to get a foul ball, I feel that if I've never caught a foul or homerun ball (which I haven't) then I reserve the right to keep the 1st one.
Any ball after the 1st one will be given to kids around me, but the 1st one is to be distributed at my discretion.
Boney, how old are you? Come on, you are a grown man. What are you going to do with a ball? Let the kids have it, they'll get more joy out of it. Plus, you'll get the karma swing going your way.
Here's my look on it:
I spent years going to baseball games with my parents and not once were we anywhere close to being able to catch a foul ball or a homerun ball.
I have spent $$$$ for tickets to all types of sporting events, and not once have I received anything more than a floppy hat on "oriole's floppy hat night". I think it's high time that I get re-paid for some of the drivel I've been forced to sit through.
It got to the point where when I was 16 I BOUGHT an official ball and put it on my shelf and told people it was a foul ball. Of course, I realized soon after that they rub the ball in mississippi mud, so anyone could have called me on it at any time.
I know, I'm a loser.
That made me laugh so I'll stop giving you a hard time. I was going to comment on your site about your trip to the store and the girl who smelled like roast beef but I figured it was a pg-rated site....
It's a site where you can make it as un-family friendly as you wish. I try to censor myself appropriately, but when it comes to complaining, sometimes my language gets colorful.
it's not PG, more like pg-13, but not like rated XXX. don't talk dirty to me, or you'll be blocked.