Have you ever caught a foul ball?

Regul8er · 08-23-12, 07:39 AM

Think Ive got 4 over the years.....a couple pucks as well.

Last week in Cincinnati, my wife caught a signed ball by Wawrinka after he won his match and hit 3 balls signed balls into the stands.

Louisvillekid1 · 08-23-12, 08:04 AM

Good stories here,

The Juggernaut · 08-23-12, 08:10 AM

My only taste of foul balls/home runs were between the ages of 8-12 at a little league field

RyanLeafOfBets · 08-23-12, 08:32 AM

I've had players throw me one in the stands, but never a foul ball.

My buddy caught a Ryan Howard HR ball in Cincy. Wouldn't throw it back. UNREAL

Regul8er · 08-23-12, 08:37 AM

On a different note....my dad caught my 1st College HR ball. He was posted up right down the line in RF, and thing pretty much landed in his lap. Still have it.

billysink · 08-23-12, 08:38 AM

Old Tiger Stadium May 17, 1968 I caught a foul ball off the bat of Frank Howard. I was a little fukkin kid at my first game. Fukkin old glove I had looked like a cow patty. Probably from the 30's or something. Howard hit a home run two pitches later and I cried cuz I thought the Tigers were gonna lose. I cried so fukkin hard I puked up all the hot dogs, ice cream and peanuts I had gorged on compliments of my Granny and the dude who ran our rec center.

Anyway Joe Sparma has a one hitter going into the 9th and the Tigers lead 2-1........ I catch a foul ball and I am happy like a mutherfukker, two minutes later I am crying and pukin. So Granny and the rec coach start bundling everyone up and get the hell out of there, Fukkin Jimmy Northrup the Silver Fox hits a grand slam and the Tigers win. I am still cryin and pukkin and don't even know what the hell just happened.

Then I hear it on the car radio in the old slant back window Merc that the Tigers won on that homer.

I get so pissed that I missed it I start crying and pukkin some more.

Anyway, Rec coach buddy was pretty big time and got the ball autographed by Willie Horton, Gates Brown and Ernie Harwell.

Lost it in a divorce somehow about 15 years back.

I realized it was gone...............

Cried and puked.

kingofhoarbags · 08-23-12, 08:47 AM

YES. In 94 third base side at Fenway. I immediately gave to the girl I was with on our second date. It was a perfect date and a perfect night. I never saw her again because I didn't want to ruin it.

Madison · 08-23-12, 09:14 AM

Somewhat famous one. Commented on by NO Neck Williams in SI. I think 1978. Last weekend in June. Big series NY/Bos. No neck playing center field. Me first row dead center. Yaz hits deep fly down 6-3 with 2 men on. Reach out and grab ball. 50/50 it would have carried the wall.

The wall gotta be like 18'. No Neck quoted paraphrasing "Some white dude in a plaid shirt reached out like the hand of God and took the ball right out of my glove". Fkn hero when I returned. Bar hopping and it was all over the news. Guy offered me $20 and I took. Free drinks galore.

Tried to find the article several times but couldn't. Was supposedly on a Yaz highlight video but I never got to see it.

Found it ... June 28 1975 ... From the baseball almanac

Ever conscious of fate, Williams had protested in the sixth that Yaz' second homer, a rainbow to center, did not reach the bleachers before a nimble fan in a blue shirt plucked it from the sky.
"It was coming down like a feather," he said after the game. "I doubt whether it would even have hit the fence when this guy reached out and caught it. He ribbed me about it later. I told him to keep the ball and enjoy himself." Williams smiled ironically. "It seems that no matter what you do, the man upstairs has something to say about it." He was advised of the double entendre. "Oh no," he said. "I don't mean the man upstairs in the blue shirt."

Louisvillekid1 · 08-23-12, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by billysink

Old Tiger Stadium May 17, 1968 I caught a foul ball off the bat of Frank Howard. I was a little fukkin kid at my first game. Fukkin old glove I had looked like a cow patty. Probably from the 30's or something. Howard hit a home run two pitches later and I cried cuz I thought the Tigers were gonna lose. I cried so fukkin hard I puked up all the hot dogs, ice cream and peanuts I had gorged on compliments of my Granny and the dude who ran our rec center.

Anyway Joe Sparma has a one hitter going into the 9th and the Tigers lead 2-1........ I catch a foul ball and I am happy like a mutherfukker, two minutes later I am crying and pukin. So Granny and the rec coach start bundling everyone up and get the hell out of there, Fukkin Jimmy Northrup the Silver Fox hits a grand slam and the Tigers win. I am still cryin and pukkin and don't even know what the hell just happened.

Then I hear it on the car radio in the old slant back window Merc that the Tigers won on that homer.

I get so pissed that I missed it I start crying and pukkin some more.

Anyway, Rec coach buddy was pretty big time and got the ball autographed by Willie Horton, Gates Brown and Ernie Harwell.

Lost it in a divorce somehow about 15 years back.

I realized it was gone...............

Cried and puked.

Guys like us never had a chance , brought into fan hood/sports/ gambling at very early age...

I was at track a lot like 3-7 years old and always went with my dad to see the bookies...

Played football pools since like 4

dredmahawkus · 08-23-12, 12:53 PM

I caught a batting practice foul ball at Fenway from a Texas ranger in 1983 when I was 10. Then got the guys autograph on it.....think the name is McDowell.

Also in the 80s when I was a kid Terry o'reily was flicking pucks into the crowd before a game and I got one. Silly me I gave it to a chick when I was in my early 20s.

I had my hands on a live foul ball when I was like 13....under the seats at Fenway in the first couple rows behind the visitors dugout....and some fat **** ripped it out of my hand.

billysink · 08-23-12, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by Louisvillekid1

Guys like us never had a chance , brought into fan hood/sports/ gambling at very early age...

I was at track a lot like 3-7 years old and always went with my dad to see the bookies...

Played football pools since like 4

True ting Kid. I can't remember one day in my life that I was not studying stats of some sport or horse. The good part of it is that I was able to conquer the degeneracy part of it real early on. The early years were just like school. Pay your tuition and then try an make something of what you learn.

It has been quite a ride. Live and fukkin learn.

Still livin and still fukkin learning.

Louisvillekid1 · 08-23-12, 06:26 PM

Yupp no wonder I aced every math through college

Louisvillekid1 · 08-23-12, 06:27 PM

Lol, I knew my multiplication tables of 7 by heart at early age just from football games!

Mikeyanks23 · 08-23-12, 06:32 PM

Originally posted by 13th Inning

No, but closest I came was at a New Haven Ravens (AA level?) game about 17 years ago and Trot Nixon fouled one down the third base line that bounced up and off of my fingertips. I still remember it - all I had to do was get up out of my seat a couple more inches, but it happened too fast...

Also, my first game at Shea Stadium, circa 1985, had a foul ball land two seats over from me. Too small to have had any chance at it, though. I was just trying not to drop my magic-motion baseball card that came in the Cracker Jacks box

caught my only one at a ravens game. Was 16 and i boxed out like 10 little kids to get it. Ended up feeling terrible buying them all hotdogs and sodas though. Prob half my paycheck at that age too.

They were double A for the rockies. and yrs later someone else dont remember. But i have about 12 quinten mcCracken autos

and 3 or 4 todd heltons.

konck · 08-23-12, 06:34 PM

Visiting LA went to a dodgers game took OF seats by the bull pen HR goes in the pen banks off the wall right into my hands. I got 2 kids in front of me staring at the ball I had it to them.
Used to go with my Bro's to Shea like 2 hours before game time for the BP we got many balls that way. My youngest brother was in the oF bleachers hunting when a BP HR goes there he is about 69lbs at the time him an a 300LB fatso go for the ball he dives the fat man lands on top of him me and my other Bro standing there praying he's ok ....you see this little skinny arm come up with a ball in it

robmpink · 08-23-12, 06:42 PM

Only during batting practice or numerous players giving it to me. Once I got a ball during batting practice of a Phillies/Cubs game that got past Billy Williams hitting balls to players with his fungo bat.

I got a couple of balls during triple AAA games, but didn't catch it.

I did however get a puck during a Devils/Flyers game that hit a guy in the shoulder and I ended up with it after a 6 man pile. It wasn't a slap shot, rather a rainbow that ended up center iceish 13 rows back. The puck is cool because it was during the 75th season of NHL. It looked like this.

Actually 100 year anniversery of the Stanley Cup puck. Got it in 93. **PS, this isn't a picture by me of the puck I caught, rather a image of one that is the exact same.

lentel · 08-23-12, 06:42 PM

twp balls and two pucks

Got a ball at angel stadium, Gary Decarsina off Don Pall, and one at Dodger stadium. I dont remember who, too much drinking.
Also Caught a puck at the forum Anaheim Ducks and L A Kings and one at the Cow Palace in San Jose, the Sharks and Stars before the Sharks went to the shark tank. I had a seat that was a regular old fold down chair right behind the Goalie , it just landed in my lap. Deflected by Arturs Irbe

Madison · 08-23-12, 07:33 PM

Originally posted by Louisvillekid1

Guys like us never had a chance , brought into fan hood/sports/ gambling at very early age...

I was at track a lot like 3-7 years old and always went with my dad to see the bookies...

Played football pools since like 4

Yep... you wanted a parlay card in high school you found it here. Pitching nickels and dimes also.

13th Inning · 08-23-12, 07:49 PM

Originally posted by Mikeyanks23

But i have about 12 quinten mcCracken autos

I remember Quinton McCracken being a big f'king legend for the Ravens. At the time, we thought he would become some huge superstar later on... Too funny...

billysink · 08-23-12, 08:02 PM

[QUOTE=13th Inning;15762254]I remember Quinton McCracken being a big f'king legend for the Ravens. At the time, we thought he would become some huge superstar later on... Too funny...

[/QUOTE

New Haven Ravens??

Mikeyanks23 · 08-23-12, 08:22 PM

[quote=billysink;15762378]

Originally posted by 13th Inning

I remember Quinton McCracken being a big f'king legend for the Ravens. At the time, we thought he would become some huge superstar later on... Too funny...

[/QUOTE

New Haven Ravens??

ya. ill sell u all my McCracken autos for 1$... Maybe ill get his address and mail them to him and say thanks for nothing asshole