# Wrigley Field - Can You Still Throw an Opposing Home Run Ball Back? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590 "2008-05-16T19:39:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/1 "2008-05-16T19:39:54Z")
Signage around the bleachers at Wrigley Field seemed to suggest that throwing something onto the field would get you escorted out by security. However, a long-beloved tradition is to throw an opposing team’s home run ball back onto the field. Is this still allowed to go on, or have the Cubs cracked down on this? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/2 "2008-05-16T19:41:54Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie] Signage around the bleachers at Wrigley Field seemed to suggest that throwing something onto the field would get you escorted out by security. However, a long-beloved tradition is to throw an opposing team’s home run ball back onto the field. Is this still allowed to go on, or have the Cubs cracked down on this? [/QUOTE] Not as of two weeks ago. If you don’t you’ll get shouted at until you do it. Throw it back, throw it back! ETA- This is undestood to be a polite toss. If you were to say chuck it as hard as you could at the back of Ken Griffy Jr’s head you might be in for a bit of trouble as awesome as that might be. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/3 "2008-05-16T20:02:14Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] ETA- This is undestood to be a polite toss. If you were to say chuck it as hard as you could at the back of Ken Griffy Jr’s head you might be in for a bit of trouble as awesome as that might be. [/QUOTE] That would be a pretty awesome toss if as a Cubs fan at Wrigley you threw an opposing home run ball and hit Ken Griffey Jr. , at least assuming you threw it in the half inning in which it was hit and threw from near where it was caught. I bet if you did that they’d not only not kick you out, they’d probably ask if you can hit as well as you can throw and start making tryout arrangements. I mean, in the easiest throw in that scenario would be nailing him from the bleachers as he’s rounding second, right? ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/4 "2008-05-16T20:08:17Z")
I wonder what would’ve happened had Bonds hit the HR record in Wrigley? Would the ball be thrown back? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/5 "2008-05-16T20:21:49Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] I wonder what would’ve happened had Bonds hit the HR record in Wrigley? Would the ball be thrown back? [/QUOTE] Maybe a hand greanade? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/6 "2008-05-16T20:52:47Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] I wonder what would’ve happened had Bonds hit the HR record in Wrigley? Would the ball be thrown back? [/QUOTE] Depends on the fan coming up with the ball, but if you did that, man, you’d be a legend. Carte blanche at Harry Caray’s, free beer at the Cubbie Bear for life, a piggy back ride from Mongo McMichael, the world would be your oyster. You’d be the anti Bartman… ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/7 "2008-05-16T23:35:34Z")
Happened once or twice today. Everybody was knocking 'em out of the park. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrigley-field-can-you-still-throw-an-opposing-home-run-ball-back/449590/8 "2008-05-17T02:41:34Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] I wonder what would’ve happened had Bonds hit the HR record in Wrigley? Would the ball be thrown back? [/QUOTE] I’ve heard stories of fans bringing “dummy” balls to the ballpark to throw back. Probably something along those lines.