# Batter hits cover off baseball. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 19, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506 "2014-04-19T20:51:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/1 "2014-04-19T20:51:42Z")
Brewers catcher hits cover off baseball ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/2 "2014-04-19T23:41:02Z")
As the announcer said, "just when you thought you’ve seen it all . . . " I wonder if the ball will end up in the HOF. It should be there. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/3 "2014-04-20T02:24:16Z")
Has that ever happened before? I assume the saying came from somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/4 "2014-04-20T02:37:23Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Has that ever happened before? I assume the saying came from somewhere… I tried to google that but every link googled refers to the event I originally posted. Guess I’ll have to look it up in a book. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/5 "2014-04-20T20:39:48Z")
Two I just googled: Chipper Jones did it in 2011. [http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2011/02/01/chipper-literally-knocks-cover-off-ball-vows-opening-day-return](http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2011/02/01/chipper-literally-knocks-cover-off-ball-vows-opening-day-return) Johnny Bench did it in the 1975 World Series (!). [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXPJK4FO7Hg) ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/6 "2014-04-21T18:50:54Z")
Jose Abreu broke a few stitches off a ball (a foul ball) earlier this season. It’s mentioned in the comments of this story about Maldonado. Perhaps either the quality control at the Rawlings factory in Costa Rica needs some help or they have intentionally loosened the stitching for this year’s run of official MLB balls. Looser stitching would provide an advantage to the pitchers so the latter seems unlikely. Maldonado also sucker punched a guy in a brawl on Sunday. Quite a series for a backup catcher! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/7 "2014-04-22T05:04:52Z")
If more balls have their covers ripped as the season progresses, there will be suspicions. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/8 "2014-04-22T08:03:52Z")
Blake, the much despis-ed, did it [in 1888](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_at_the_Bat#Text). ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batter-hits-cover-off-baseball/686506/9 "2014-04-22T17:23:32Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Blake, the much despis-ed, did it [in 1888](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_at_the_Bat#Text). A fake!