04/19/24
June 29, 2008
3,494 and counting.: The baseball-seeking savant from Manhattan has tricks galore to help him snare a prized souvenir at a major league game, like lowering his glove on a string to pluck up a ball resting far below on the warning track during batting practice. Or his “fumbling with a slice of pizza” ploy to sneak past an usher and move closer to the dugout.
Who has the time or money to do all this traveling? This guy sounds like he needs a sponsor ala NASCAR
posted by m8nsman at 01:31 PM on June 30, 2008
For me getting a baseball at a game could quite possibly be the game's biggest thrill. I've only been lucky enough to get one so far, Pudge Rodriguez flipped it to me right before the first inning. That moment is tied for my favorite moment at a baseball game, right there with seeing the Tigers win the ALCS. This guy may take baseball-seeking to the extreme, but if that is what he likes to do I say go for it. He is certainly very good at it.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:19 PM on June 30, 2008
His taking it to the extreme is the problem I have with it. Like you said, YYM, you were lucky to get one. I always thought that snagging a ball should be a random event. You're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. I've been lucky to get 3, all during batting practice. One I caught off of a Sammy Sosa HR (bare hands, I'm with the "no one over 12 should bring a glove to a game" crowd). One I got when a Bernie Williams HR clocked off my head and Mariano felt bad so he flipped a ball to someone else to give to me. And one off of a Cano HR. It bounced right up to me off of a bleacher while I was eating my sandwich.
posted by goddam at 03:09 PM on June 30, 2008
What ever happened to let the kids have it. Would of made about 3,400 kids happy
posted by bigpimp311 at 07:27 PM on June 30, 2008
I took my two sons and two of their friends to a game recently. We were able to get 3 balls during batting practice -- all of them tossed by the Angels outfielders. I am glad this guy wasn't there so they had a chance. I am amazed that he can get that many. My oldest did get two during one batting practice between the Padres and the Rockies. (I don't bring a glove to the game either-- I bring boys!). Although I did get one off a HR during batting practice at Dodger stadium before I had children.
posted by Monica Poland at 10:05 AM on July 01, 2008
Yeah, I'm with you goddam. I have been to dozens of games and still no ball. So, I don't appreciate this guy having 3,000+. But I guess there are worse things he could be doing. (Like that other ball hawk that knocks people over. Ya know, the one with the big weed.) Now, since he's in the news, maybe stadiums' staff will try to prevent him from snagging 10 per game. Or force him to give them to kids before he leaves. Now, if we're talkin pucks, I've got a few (8 and counting...) of those.
posted by BoKnows at 11:48 AM on July 01, 2008
How do you get pucks? I've been to a dozen or so games and never have gotten one!
posted by Monica Poland at 12:36 PM on July 01, 2008
Right place, right time for most of them. I have gotten a couple during warm-ups- the players will flip them over the glass.
posted by BoKnows at 12:39 PM on July 01, 2008
Darren McCarty will always throw about ten pucks over the glass after warmups, half to one side and half to the other. I'd rather get one that way than to have one fly up at me from the ice.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:01 PM on July 01, 2008
Wuss. If you were a real fan, you'd take a puck to the face.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:58 AM on July 02, 2008
Wuss. If you were a real fan, you'd take a puck to the face. One of the pucks I have, almost did just that. A friend and I were sitting just above the glass, behind the net. (This was before the NHL put up the netting.) Anyway, I bent over to talk to some people in front of us. A shot was deflected, hit the back of my seat, and then fell onto the ground at my feet. Scared the shit out of me. There was a little tussle for the puck, but I'm a bit bigger than my friend, so I won.
posted by BoKnows at 03:42 PM on July 02, 2008
This guy has to live in the basement of his parents house.