BBF Member Baseball Catching Tracker

[Williamsburg2599]

Bumping for new members....

[Williamsburg2599]

Please post here on how many baseballs you've caught/somehow retrieved at Any Major or Minor League games. Also, If you have any interesting stories about how about catching a ball at a game, please share. Sadly, I have not yet caught any baseballs:(,maybe this summer:). I'll keep a list here:

BBF Member Baseball Catching List:
1.RuthMayBonds: 108+
2.bailiff: 71-79
3.pesky6:apx. 30
4.JCM718:28 (1 from Fenway)
5.zito75:15+
6.Yankees:13 (12 Minor, 2 Team USA)
7.Panman36: 11
8.ErikBedard:10
9.Pods Fan 22:8 (6 Minor, 2 Major)
10.RHP:3
11t.Downwiththesickness:3
11t.HudsonHarden:3
13.Chisox73:2(1 BP HR, 1 Give-away)
14t.EvenAparra: 1 (MLB, HR, Nomar Garicaparra)
14t.-Kyle-:1(foul ball, Doug McCarthy)
14t.anjo25:1(foul ball)
14t.jwkfs:1(foul ball, Matt Holiday)
14t.Skin&Bones:1 (thrown to by a pitcher)
14t.Coachsmallhead:1 (BP ball, V. Wells)
14t.Sean Casey:1 (BP, thrown to by Cameraman)
14t.Padday:1
TOTAL baseballs caught by BBF members:376-384+
Also feel free to list which were MiLB and which were MLB, and which were HRs, foul balls, BP balls, ect..,

[SouthSideChamps05]

Never caught any, but I'm usually pretty good at finding them. Theres a minor league baseball stadium by me, and usually you can just ask for balls and they'll give you them. Theres also usually some old ones in the foul areas, and behind the fence. Same thing went for when I went to 06 and 05 spring training.

I've also gotten a few OMLB's at white sox games by just asking.

[Williamsburg2599]

Never caught any, but I'm usually pretty good at finding them. Theres a minor league baseball stadium by me, and usually you can just ask for balls and they'll give you them. Theres also usually some old ones in the foul areas, and behind the fence. Same thing went for when I went to 06 and 05 spring training.

I've also gotten a few OMLB's at white sox games by just asking.
Well, if you remember how many you have found around the stadium, or a good estimate of how many, they count in my book.:)

[pesky6]

I've never gotten any baseballs during an actual regular season game, but I have gotten severla while at spring training and during batting practice. I don't know exactly how many, but my conservative estimate would be in the 20s range, perhaps the 30s if you include minor league games.

BTW, I'd be willing to trade if anyone is interested. Send me a PM :)

[bailiff]

Totally, I would have to say 71-79. In 2003, during one AFL game, my wife and I did get 21 baseballs. The large crowd of perhaps 17 fans, were all after the baseballs.

Now, if I don't have my son with me, I usually just give any baseballs that I find to the fans around me.

[Pods fan 22]

Ive just got about 6 minnor league ones and 2 major league ones, all were just given to me by players/coaches

[Erik Bedard]

Oh, if you want to count minor leagues, then give me around 10. And if you want to count Cape Cod league, then I've got nearly 70.

[Williamsburg2599]

Oh, if you want to count minor leagues, then give me around 10. And if you want to count Cape Cod league, then I've got nearly 70.
Cape Cod is too easy:laugh, but Minor Leagues count.

[Seattle1]

This thread is a good idea! I don't have any baseballs even though I've been to tons of minor and major league games. :ughh

Oh well, there's always next year!

[EvanAparra]

put me down for 1. :( But that 1 was a Nomar Garciaparra Homer!!!

[-Kyle-]

I caught a foul ball by Doug Mccarthy.

[Chisox73]

Got a BP home run ball at Busch Stadium in 2005.

Could have had one at the Marlins-Expos game in Chicago in 2004,but decided to be a good guy and give it to a little kid sitting behind me.

[Yankees]

11 Minor league balls + 2 USA Baseball balls.

I remember the story behind each one, but the nicest was at the end of this season. Juan Salas picked up a foul ball during the game, and I asked if I could have it (politely, I might add). He looked straight at me, and tossed it to someone else. Next day I'm sitting in the same seat as he walks out to the bullpen, and he tosses a ball to me (and signed after the game).

Wow, was that tense formation bad.

[RuthMayBond]

Dang, bailiff is on my tail ;) Going back to my first one, my neighbor had at least a partial season ticket package to the Tribe. I had been catching a few games for almost two years and caught nothing. We stopped at the Tribe gift shop and I bought a baseball because I didn't know if I'd ever get one. We get down for batting practice, the immortal Dave Rosello is up, and he hits one toward me. I took one step back and froze. Mitt went up, ball went in, and it's been a heck of a ride since :dance

[RuthMayBond]

put me down for 1. :( But that 1 was a Nomar Garciaparra Homer!!!Dang, nothing like doing it right :clapping

[anjo25]

1 Minor league foul ball...:rolleyes:

[bailiff]

1 is better than 0:) . This topic is already making me anxious for next year.

[RuthMayBond]

1 is better than 0:) . This topic is already making me anxious for next year.Tell me about it, and next year I'm hoping to visit at least 5 ML stadiums I've never been to

[pesky6]

Oh, if you want to count minor leagues, then give me around 10. And if you want to count Cape Cod league, then I've got nearly 70.

If you're interested in trading a Cape Cod league ball, send me a PM.

[DoWnWiThTheSiCkNeSs]

ive only gotten 3 but when i go to games im focused on autographs usually, ive gotten three all from players/coach next year i will probably get one because im going to around 15 games next year

also this year i went to 6 games in 6 different stadiums so i was trying to look at the stadiums and get autographs not get balls , but 2 of my 3 were from the new Busch when i went in August

[jwkfs]

I caught my first one in about 10 years of going to games this past season.

A foul ball off the bat of Matt Holiday.

[Williamsburg2599]

Anybody else?

[panman36]

I got like 11 (I'm hot stuff I know). I also got a cool story...

I was with my family. I was like 16. We had front row plaza seats right along 1B (primo foul ball territory). So I brought my glove but wasnt wearing it. I was like eating a hot dog. But I sense this commotion around me. I look up and there's a ball coming right to me. But actually it was coming right to my little step brother. But holding my glove, I swat the ball, batting it in the air. And catching it, with my bare hand. I turn around, holding the ball in triumph. Everyone's like "boo, give it to the kid."

As if that's not enough a news crew happens to be there cuz Tony Gwynn was approaching 3000 hits. And they film my catch and put in on the news. I still have the tape.

But the rest of the balls I just got by going to bp. I was into that for a couple years. It was sick when Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were hitting them out like crazy.

John Vanderwall threw me two balls in one game once. I don't think they were both intended for me, but i got em:clapping

[Williamsburg2599]

I got like 11 (I'm hot stuff I know). I also got a cool story...

I was with my family. I was like 16. We had front row plaza seats right along 1B (primo foul ball territory). So I brought my glove but wasnt wearing it. I was like eating a hot dog. But I sense this commotion around me. I look up and there's a ball coming right to me. But actually it was coming right to my little step brother. But holding my glove, I swat the ball, batting it in the air. And catching it, with my bare hand. I turn around, holding the ball in triumph. Everyone's like "boo, give it to the kid."

As if that's not enough a news crew happens to be there cuz Tony Gwynn was approaching 3000 hits. And they film my catch and put in on the news. I still have the tape.

But the rest of the balls I just got by going to bp. I was into that for a couple years. It was sick when Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were hitting them out like crazy.

John Vanderwall threw me two balls in one game once. I don't think they were both intended for me, but i got em:clapping
A T.V catch has to be the best!:clapping Updated the list.

[duckydps]

I have a couple from the minor leagues....
I played in an AAU Tournament in Orlando, Florida when the Orlando Rays played there. One day, our game ran over and the Rays players were coming in to the pen where I was (I was the closer of our team so I had a lot of free time) and I got to talking to the guys and they gave me all the different balls they could find from the different leagues. They gave me ones from A and AA that they had gotten from traveling around. I thought it was real nice of them. I need to get those balls out because they autographed one of them... maybe it was someone good....
Later that night, I was walking back to the car and I noticed the Braves Rookie team was there and Rafael Belliard was with them and I got his autograph and talked to him for a while. He was an extremely nice guy! There is a rookie league that uses (or used) several of the fields at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex where the Braves have spring training and where the Rays used to play.

[Zito75]

I got 17 balls in one day in Tucson. All were homerun balls at Spring Training games- most were at BP fields where I was the only fan hanging out at. (I think I caught about 5, the rest were out of reach)

At actually games, I caught balls in BP that were thrown by Rickey Henderson, Gary Redus, Billy Ripken, Tim Hudson and Omar Vizquel to name a few. But anyone that goes to Spring Training with my at Hi-Corbett is guaranteed a few balls.

[Williamsburg2599]

Cape Cod is too easy:laugh, but Minor Leagues count.

Well, more than a year later and I take that statement back. :sorry:

I attended Game 2 of the Divisional Finals between the Y-D Red Sox and the Chatham A's at Chatham a couple of days ago. I sat in the power alley of RF, perfect spot for catching a HR ball.

Being in the moment, I decided to bring my glove to my seat, just to give me something to play with during the game.

First, during BP, I was sitting there when a big lefty came up. All of a sudden, a deep drive came flying in my direction. I wondered up the incline, feeling like I was on Tal's Hill, not wanting to make a full out effort. The ball landed over my head, and then rolled all the way up the hill to another fan. 0-1 :(

Flash forward to the 8th, and the same player (I believe) walks up. I slide my hand down toward my glove. Another shot, slightly shorter but otherwise identical to the first, comes flying at me. My eyes light up like a kid in a candy store, as the ball peaks, and then starts it's decent right toward me. I didn't even have to stand up, it was coming right at my feet. I opened my glove, close it, and....

...At the last second, a teenage kid attempts to make the catch, jumping in front of me, and he deflects it away with his thumb. It goes to my right, up the hill, and to a family. 0-2 :(

The kid refused to throw it back, much to the dismay of the local A's fans. I would of thrown it back.....:evil ;)


(well, I would of thrown A ball back)

[Skin & Bones]

A spring Training ball...that was thrown to me by a pitcher...

[Coachsmallhead]

Put me down for one....although it was quite memorable. I caught mine during batting practice before an Angels/Jays game at Angel stadium. Vernon Wells smoked a line drive down the left field line....straight at me. I ended up making a clean catch on the ball....but I paid a pretty big price for it. Both my hands were swollen, red and had seam imprints on them for two days afterward. Oh well....I guess it was worth the sacrifice.

Anyway, the ball is my one and only....but I'm happy with it.

[Sean Casey]

The only ball that I've ever gotten at a game was last year at Fenway during BP. My friends and I were standing along the fence between home plate and the Red Sox dugout, and one of the players in the outfield threw a ball back to the infield that rolled over to where we were standing. It hit the wall right in front of me, but deflected away before I had a chance to grab it. A cameraman on the field nearby picked it up and was about to throw it back to the infield when I asked if he could toss it to me, which he did.

[JCM718]

28. 1 from Fenway, The Rest at Minor League fields.

[RuthMayBond]

Put me down for one....although it was quite memorable. I caught mine during batting practice before an Angels/Jays game at Angel stadium. Vernon Wells smoked a line drive down the left field line....straight at me. I ended up making a clean catch on the ball....but I paid a pretty big price for it. Both my hands were swollen, red and had seam imprints on them for two days afterward. Oh well....I guess it was worth the sacrifice.

Anyway, the ball is my one and only....but I'm happy with it.Swells are for a couple days, a :baseball: is forever :applaud:
This summer:
Thrown in at Yankee Stadium by ROY HALLADAY!
Thrown in at Fenway Park by Bosox coach
Fouled out of International League Columbus' Cooper Stadium during Curt Schilling rehab start, two of them
Tomorrow: a Frontier League game :crossfingers: :hyper: :dance :highfive: :thumbsup: :pray:

[BoofBonser26]

Swells are for a couple days, a :baseball: is forever :applaud:
This summer:
Thrown in at Yankee Stadium by ROY HALLADAY!
Thrown in at Fenway Park by Bosox coach
Fouled out of International League Columbus' Cooper Stadium during Curt Schilling rehab start, two of them
Tomorrow: a Frontier League game :crossfingers: :hyper: :dance :highfive: :thumbsup: :pray:
Chillecothe Paints?

[Coachsmallhead]

[QUOTE=RuthMayBond;980230]Swells are for a couple days, a :baseball: is forever :applaud:

You sure got that right....I'll have the ball and the story forever. It was worth it.

[hudsonharden]

3 minor league - 1 Rochester Red Wings, 2 Batavia Muckdogs

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

I've had 4. I got one from a beer guy when I was 5 or 6. He caught it and gave it to me. Jose Cruz Jr. threw me one while he was warming up, Rheal Cormier threw me one during BP and one of the bullpen coaches for the Angels threw me one during a game as well.

[DoWnWiThTheSiCkNeSs]

I have only gotten a few, my most recent one, I caught during BP off the bat of Tony Clark at Shea Stadium earlier this year. I was in the bleachers and i just arrived and I looked up and a ball was coming, it one hopped off the warning track and I caught it by reaching over the wall.

[MadHatter]

Sadly, just one. Minor League game in 1985 (McCoy Stadium) in Pawtucket. Foul by Pat Dodson.

[Padday]

I have got 1, which isn't bad considering I've only been to two games. It was at Safeco Field against the Athletics on April 3rd. During BP me and my brother were down at the edge of the field hoping to catch a ball, when I noticed one lying beneath a trailor that was on the warning track. I tried to reach for it but then my brother asked a security guard who reached under and got it for us.

[RuthMayBond]

Chillecothe Paints?That was my second choice. I'll go there next year. I ended up at the Florence Freedom since I could get some sigs of former Phils for the guy who went with me on our six-day, six ML park trip. It took me a little longer to get to Florence than I thought. Even though I always get to games very early, I saw something I'd never seen before ...
... minor league batting practice. I caught four in BP and ended up giving three to others because they used A3010s in BP (league-stamped balls during the game). I already had one signed. I was hoping to meet a guy from my wife's hometown but I think he was a starter and it wasn't his night. There was a HR practically before we got settled into our seats. Nothing much was coming my way then so I headed just over the LF line outside the park in the bottom of the 6th. I had barely got there when a guy blasted a three-run go-ahead shot that almost hit me in the head. LAter a guy hit one to opposite field. I sorta ran over but figured I had no chance. A home team guy was just about to throw it back when I asked if I could have it, and he tossed it to me.
So three tossed back to other people, and three to take home, not bad :clapping

[nyyfan]

I never actually caught one but have had 3 balls thrown to me all by Ray Olmedo. I got a Derek Jeter BP homerun ball:clapping

[Erik Bedard]

Well, more than a year later and I take that statement back. :sorry:

I attended Game 2 of the Divisional Finals between the Y-D Red Sox and the Chatham A's at Chatham a couple of days ago. I sat in the power alley of RF, perfect spot for catching a HR ball.

Being in the moment, I decided to bring my glove to my seat, just to give me something to play with during the game.

First, during BP, I was sitting there when a big lefty came up. All of a sudden, a deep drive came flying in my direction. I wondered up the incline, feeling like I was on Tal's Hill, not wanting to make a full out effort. The ball landed over my head, and then rolled all the way up the hill to another fan. 0-1 :(

Flash forward to the 8th, and the same player (I believe) walks up. I slide my hand down toward my glove. Another shot, slightly shorter but otherwise identical to the first, comes flying at me. My eyes light up like a kid in a candy store, as the ball peaks, and then starts it's decent right toward me. I didn't even have to stand up, it was coming right at my feet. I opened my glove, close it, and....

...At the last second, a teenage kid attempts to make the catch, jumping in front of me, and he deflects it away with his thumb. It goes to my right, up the hill, and to a family. 0-2 :(

The kid refused to throw it back, much to the dismay of the local A's fans. I would of thrown it back.....:evil ;)


(well, I would of thrown A ball back)

Hmmm... Chatham and Y-D aren't great for catching balls because they're so crowded. If you're willing to look through a parking lot, you can get a ton at Hyannis. I got six in one game once, though I gave all but three away to younger kids.

On a related note, I almost caught my first MLB ball about a month ago. I was sitting next to the LF pole at the Yard, and I think it was Jay Payton hit one three rows behind me, right into the hands of the drunk guy who wouldn't shut up all game.

[RuthMayBond]

I was sitting next to the LF pole at the Yard, and I think it was Jay Payton hit one three rows behind me, right into the hands of the drunk guy who wouldn't shut up all game.About a foot or so higher would have been perfect? :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

[RuthMayBond]

I would of thrown it back.....:evil ;)


(well, I would of thrown A ball back)A guy who's never caught a ball? :rolleyes: ;) :D :o :eek: :blah: :disbelief:

[Padday]

One question. What about balls cought at Irish league games?:think:

[RuthMayBond]

One question. What about balls cought at Irish league games?:think:Way too easy, they only count if you've had LOTS of Irish coffee beforehand :laugh

[Williamsburg2599]

One question. What about balls cought at Irish league games?:think:

Hmmm... Not sure. I need to come up with some type of linear weights for this.....

[cong]

I have never gotten a ball at the ball park. My son on the other hand is a ball hound. He has about 15 (he is 14 years old).

We had seats behind home plate for a Mets - Phillies game in Philly 2 years ago. While BP was going on, it was empty back there (usher only let ticket holder in the area). I think he got 5 or 6 balls that day.

On one ball in particular, he was chasing it down. He picked it up and when he looked up he was looking at this little 5 year old girl who was also chasing the ball. The next thing that happened showed me that I was doing a pretty good job of raising my son. He handed the ball to the little girl... I was so proud!!!

This cartoon always comes to mind when I tell that story!

http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/images/foul_ball.gif

[RuthMayBond]

I have never gotten a ball at the ball park. My son on the other hand is a ball hound. He has about 15 (he is 14 years old).

We had seats behind home plate for a Mets - Phillies game in Philly 2 years ago. While BP was going on, it was empty back there (usher only let ticket holder in the area). I think he got 5 or 6 balls that day.

On one ball in particular, he was chasing it down. He picked it up and when he looked up he was looking at this little 5 year old girl who was also chasing the ball. The next thing that happened showed me that I was doing a pretty good job of raising my son. He handed the ball to the little girl... I was so proud!!!:nod: :dance :highfive: :bowdown: :cool: :party: :applaud:

<This cartoon always comes to mind when I tell that story!

http://www.youthbaseballcoaching.com/images/foul_ball.gif>

And I gave THREE away at my last game :crossfingers: :think:

[Captain Cold Nose]

Chillecothe Paints?

There is also a team in Washington (Pa) maybe half-an-hour from the Ohio-West Virginia border. Ever try there, RMB?

[RuthMayBond]

There is also a team in Washington (Pa) maybe half-an-hour from the Ohio-West Virginia border. Ever try there, RMB?Sounds like my next victims :dance :dance :dance :dance :dance Interestingly, the team has a guy from my hometown, from near the place I was staying this past weekend, from near where I now live, and another guy from near where I used to live.