# Is a ball just a ball? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688 "2012-07-09T11:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688/21 "2012-07-10T00:28:08Z")
This is probably one of those stories you shouldn’t tell on a first date… or the tenth. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688/22 "2012-07-11T18:54:04Z")
Look Manny, if you really, _really_ want a ball, I’m sure everybody will be nice enough to chip in and get you a ball. Theres a good lad. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688/23 "2012-07-11T19:38:23Z")
My uncle got a foul ball a few years back. At a major league stadium, with 40,000 fans in attendance. Reached out as it arched into his section, right off some major leaguer’s bat, and grabbed it on the fly. His first, and thus far only, after many years of fandom and attending games. It’s a prized possession for him, and if it’d been me, it’d be a prized possession for me, too. I caught a foul ball earlier this year. At a minor league stadium, with 4,000 fans in attendance. Hit the roof of the concessions stands behind home plate (I was in line at the time, couldn’t see the game from there), bounced a couple of times, and rolled to me. My first, and thus far only, after many years (though not as many) of fandom and attending games. It’s not an especially prized possession for me, and if my uncle’d been in the situation, it wouldn’t be a prized possession for him either. Which just goes to show you that context is everything. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688/24 "2012-07-11T20:14:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > **Is a ball just a ball?** > > A ball is never _just_ a ball to a Labrador. It is The Ball, an object of veneration and obsession. > > Which is why I’m sorry to never have seen a Lab catch a foul ball at “Take Your Dog To The Ballpark Day”. I’ll go with you next year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-ball-just-a-ball/627688.md?page=1)