# Prize for catching baseball at a game. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442 "2005-11-17T03:42:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/21 "2005-11-17T17:52:49Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > hmmppfff: See post 3 please. šŸ˜‰ Yeah, but I had a link to a cool website. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/22 "2005-11-17T18:06:44Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Yeah, but I had a link to a cool website. šŸ™‚ [brogue] Aye, you got me on that one laddie. [/brogue] Jim ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/23 "2005-11-17T18:14:25Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > hmmppfff: See post 3 please. šŸ˜‰ > > Jim Hell - see post 2 while youā€™re at it: > [@Post 2](#): > > Or one of Barry Bondā€™s balls. See?! See?!? I had a vague ephemeral idea of what we were talking about - and I wrote it down. That gives me first dibs right? Everybody else was just expounding on MY thought. Right?! šŸ™‚ Just kidding. - Peter Wiggen ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/24 "2005-11-17T18:30:02Z")
> [@PeterWiggen](#): > > Or one of Barry Bondsā€™ balls. Those balls can be worth quite a bit of money - so they would be fighting over who owns it and can thus sell it. Ummmm . . . I hope you mean one of his _base_balls. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/25 "2005-11-17T18:31:06Z")
4-5 years ago, at a Cubs/Sox game at that dump on the north side which name I cannot utter, a foul ball came down from the upper deck and the wife managed to pin it between her back and the seat (yeah, way down THERE). Two guys behind her and I all had our hands reaching for it til she turned her head like Linda Blair and said (to the other guys) "Get your fucking hands off my ass! I held on (to the ball, I can grab the ass anytime), but in the melee busted my watchband. As consolation she bought me a new ESQ, and I got to keep the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/26 "2005-11-17T18:32:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Ummmm . . . I hope you mean one of his _base_balls. I did, BUT when I typed that line it made me laugh - so I decided to keep it in there. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/27 "2005-11-17T19:10:23Z")
Thereā€™s a documentary on the legal battle over the Barry Bonds home run ball called [Up for Grabs](http://imdb.com/title/tt0420356/) . I saw it in the theater and thought it was very good. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/28 "2005-11-17T19:38:55Z")
I remember a Rangers/Red Sox game I caught in Fenway one time where some kid caught a baseball, some dude grabbed it from him, another dude punched the first dude, and handed the ball back to the kid. All on the big screen. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/29 "2005-11-17T19:40:38Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > I remember a Rangers/Red Sox game I caught in Fenway one time where some kid caught a baseball, some dude grabbed it from him, another dude punched the first dude, and handed the ball back to the kid. All on the big screen. šŸ˜ƒ Hooray for the 2nd dude. Disclaimer: Of course I realize that violence never solve anything Jim ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/30 "2005-11-17T20:45:41Z")
**Antechinus** , I remember the incident (last season, Rangers vs Cardinals) and believe [this](http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-17-2004-55596.asp) is that to which you refer. > [@](#): > > These are the moments baseball fans dream of: a chance to to take home a ball. What happened next turned Nick into a national hero. And another spectator, Matt Starr, became a pariah. > > As Nick rose to catch the ball Mr Starr, a former youth minister, dived across to grab the ball, struck the child on the leg, and knocked him over as he stood up with the trophy. The aggressive catcher was caught himself, however, on television cameras. Nickā€™s mother exclaimed: ā€œYou tramped a four-year-old boy to get this ball.ā€ Mr Starr said: ā€œOh well.ā€ The crowd chanted: ā€œGive him the ball!ā€ The Rangers announcer, Tom Grieve, called Mr Starr ā€œthe biggest jerk in the parkā€, and Mr Starr left the game early. > > By Tuesday reporters were at Mr Starrā€™s house and a pastor, Rick DuBose, was telling the press: ā€œHeā€™s not the bad guy heā€™s made out to be. He loves kids, he did something he regrets.ā€ Meanwhile the Oā€™Briens went to New York to appear on TV and were showered with more games tickets. > > Mr Starr has apologised, returned the ball, and agreed to buy them more tickets. Our family has had season tickets at Ranger Stadium (and then the BPAA) ever since the original one was built four or so decades back. Never have I seen any other fan there behave so boorishly. And, as others have mentioned, the ball itself is the prize. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/31 "2005-11-17T20:48:47Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > The best one I saw taken was at North Sdney Oval by a guy standing near the fence. He was holding a glass of beer in his right hand and neatly caught the ball in front of his face lefthanded without spilling a drop. That would be more impressive if not for the penalties levied by Australian law for spilling beer. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/32 "2005-11-17T22:20:35Z")
Recently, a local college football team stated that given their financial situation, the college couldnā€™t afford to let people keep footballs that went into the stands. So they asked people who caught one to ā€˜see the usher after the game, who would escort them to the locker room to return the ballā€™. Generally, people were quite happy to exchange the ball for a trip to the locker room and a chance to meet some of the players! ---
**Author:** ![Improvisor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/50afbb/32.png) [@Improvisor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improvisor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/33 "2005-11-18T00:55:54Z")
I caught one in the bleachers at Wrigley years ago when I was a kid and all I got was sore hands. They really sting coming in. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/34 "2005-11-18T03:20:16Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Recently, a local college football team stated that given their financial situation, the college couldnā€™t afford to let people keep footballs that went into the stands. > > So they asked people who caught one to ā€˜see the usher after the game, who would escort them to the locker room to return the ballā€™. Generally, people were quite happy to exchange the ball for a trip to the locker room and a chance to meet some of the players! Iā€™ve never known any college that let fans keep footballs kicked into the stands. Nearly every stadium has a net to catch most of them anyway. And if they go into the crowd, security people go in after them if you donā€™t throw them back. Thatā€™s been the case in every Pac-10 game Iā€™ve gone to for the last 20 years. I think if an NFL ball makes into the stands, theyā€™ll let you keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Southessex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Southessex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southessex)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/35 "2005-11-18T05:49:40Z")
For years, the Atlanta Braves had a promotion\contest where listeners would send their name and address in on a postcard. The postcards were put in a huge barrel, and at one point at every home game (the 4th inning?) a postcard was chosen at random. If a Braves player hit a home run during this inning, the listener won a cash prize ($100? $500?) and also were automatically entered in a contest (amongst other similar winners) for a trip to the World Series. Lots of minor league teams have similar gimmicks - the Atlanta Knights (former minor league hockey team) had ā€œPizza Hut Power Playsā€, where if the team scored during a power play, one could redeem his or her ticket stub for a free personal pan pizza. The Charlotte Checkers (also a minor league hockey team, this oneā€™s still around) does something similar where if the team scores on a power play, ticketholders get a free 20oz. drink and bag of chips from a local convenience store chain. Perhaps contests such as these got mixed in with the OPs story somehow? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/36 "2005-11-18T21:08:09Z")
> [@antechinus](#): > > How much money is offered at these games for catching the baseball? A cash prize, if any, is something new to me. The ball IS the prize. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/37 "2005-11-18T21:16:19Z")
IF the ball has some importance, like the player breaks the home run record by hitting that ball, then the fan may sell it or offer the ball to the player in hopes of getting a reward. There was this kid who caught a ball at a Yankee game that got a ticket to the next game and got to sit next to the mayor. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/38 "2005-11-19T02:22:20Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Iā€™ve never known any college that let fans keep footballs kicked into the stands. Nearly every stadium has a net to catch most of them anyway. And if they go into the crowd, security people go in after them if you donā€™t throw them back. Thatā€™s been the case in every Pac-10 game Iā€™ve gone to for the last 20 years. > > I think if an NFL ball makes into the stands, theyā€™ll let you keep it. Not the MN Vikings! They send the security people up to take the ball away, and that causes a lot of bad feelings. Often you see the rest of the people sitting around them helping hide the ball, or pass it on (keep away). Or at least booing the security staff. (In some Vikings games, this is more interesting to watch than the action out on the field!) Thatā€™s why I thought the College response was so much smarter and much better public relations. No security staff hassling the fans, and the one who caught the ball was quite happy to return it to the locker room, and afterwards spent a lot of time talking about it, and about meeting the players. Somebody was very smart here! ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/39 "2005-11-19T03:24:47Z")
**Southessex** , that sounds similar to a 1970s institution in Pittsburgh. Pirates slugger Willie Stargell owned a chicken restaurant (a KFC franchise?). It was located somewhere high. Everyone in the restaurant when Stargell hit a home run got free chicken. Annoucers (Bob Prince, Nellie Fox) heralded Stargellā€™s homers with: ā€œItā€™s chicken on the hill with Will!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442/40 "2005-11-19T03:43:20Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > USA still has some stadiums with prizes for hitting a sign. > In minor league parks it might be a new suit or diamond bracelet. One of my all time favorite baseball cartoons shows a sign on the outfield fence reading, ā€œHit this sign and win a new suit!ā€ with the businessman out on the field in suit and tie and a glove standing in front of his sign. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prize-for-catching-baseball-at-a-game/331442.md?page=3)