[discostu]

But if you weren’t there to watch the pitch those photons would have landed somewhere else, resulting possibly in something else.

It’s the photon wave particle experiment that actually proves observation changes results:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment
because the results change depending on how you chose to observe.

[ZX12R]

It’s the photon wave particle experiment that actually proves observation changes results:

That's exactly correct. In the double slit experiment I described above, attempts to monitor which slit the electron actually travels through, makes the interference pattern disappear. The act of observing changes the results.

What that means precisely, no one knows. That's why there have been several serious interpretations, of which the copenhagen interpretation is only one, and is the consensus among most physicists, but mostly because the others are even kookeir that that. Many worlds theory, hidden variables, etc.

[Durus]

It wouldn’t matter to the ball if I was there to intercept photons that already contacted the ball.

[ABrit]

American Journal of Physics — May 1973 — Volume 41, Issue 5, pp. 639
An Experiment on Electron Interference
O. Donati, G. P. Missiroli, and G. Pozzi
Istituto di Fisica, Laboratorio di Microscopia Elettronica, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Abstract
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An electron interference experiment that provides impressive evidence of the wave-like behavior of electrons has been performed. The interferometric device has been designed as simply as possible and is described in detail. A standard electron microscope is used as an electron-optical bench.
© 1973 American Association of Physics Teachers

This experiment is not “proof”. The paper is behind a paywall and is inaccessible to the public without a fee. It appears to use electrons to detect electrons. Obviously the detecting electrons impact the detected electrons. The experimental method of detection causes the interference, not the fact of observation per se.