Posted on 09/26/2009 7:53:07 AM PDT by jilliane
In 1969, I umpired in the class A Florida State and Midwest (Formerly the 3-I) Leagues. We got $250 a month plus $250 expenses. My parner who drove, got 10 cents a mile. I was married with a child and couldn’t afford to go back the second year.
Sorry ... yes. Per month. I should have stated that. My bad.
Even if it was autographed, unless Carson ends up being a superstar, the ball will never be worth $10,000.
The ONLY person who would pay $10,000 for it is Carson, because it has sentimental value.
The fan obviously doesn’t care about Carson, so the ball isn’t worth $10,000 to him. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up in a yard sale.
I was at a game recently and A.J. Pierzynski tossed a ball to a kid a few rows behind the dugout - some 20-something idiot in a White Sox jersey stepped in front of the kid and intercepted it. A.J. stood there and stared at the guy and just shook his head in disgust. I think if people are thinking maturely and selflessly, it’s pretty easy to know who the ball should go home with. Especially someone’s first home run in the ML.
That’s a great story!
It would be a ridiculous management problem to have staff trying to locate the fans who caught every foul ball in a baseball game. In hockey the fan owns it because it’s embedded into his forehead. Football - easy to spot who caught it and they don’t fly into the upper decks....and, footballs cost $70 each. Basketball, same thing (but around $90).
It’s not that tough to go to the people that caught the ball. The cameras always seem to be able to find them. And in my experience if you caught the ball or puck poorly (like didn’t start with your hands) event staff will always come over to see if you’re alright.
Point is, it’s not worth micro-managing lost baseballs like that...
I was at a MLB game recently and a bullet of a foul shot lined into the lower level and struck an elderly man in the chest. Everyone jumped to their feet waving their arms for help - they were on him in a flash. After some period of time when he must have insisted he was ok, the staff stuck a clipboard in his face and had him sign a waiver. Shortly thereafter, the player that hit the foul ball walked over and the man waved to him; the player handed staff a bat and gave it to him.
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