A souvenir for a lucky fan
Every time I go to a Major League Baseball game, I always make sure I bring my baseball glove. It is real old, and worn, and doesn’t have much leather left, but it is mine. Just to give you an idea how old, it has a stamped autograph of Dave Concepcion
There are always some people that laugh at me and ask me why a grown man needs to bring a glove to a game, I always tell them that no one in their right mind would try and catch one of those balls bare handed. After all, those things are screaming when they come off the bat.
I have been going to Major League games since 1973, and have never caught a foul ball.
Back in the late eighties at a Met game, after sneaking up front right past the bag on the third base line, Mookie Wilson smashed one. I had no idea it was coming my way. I had leaned over to say something to the guy to my right when I heard a loud CRACK!! And I heard some one say LOOK OUT! It was over before I knew it And as I looked to my left, the guy right next to me, (who had decided to take his shirt off to catch some rays) had made an attempt to catch the ball……..with his chest, but came up empty handed, however his son had caught it . I still can’t keep from laughing as I think of the imprint that ball made on that dude’s chest, not to mention the imprint it must have made on his ego. When I think of it now, he really should have sought medical attention. He was moaning and groaning, but after a few beers, he seemed to be alright.
One cold rainy evening at Shea, Mets against the Reds, Standing watching BP, again on the third base side, where they keep the tarp. Ron Gardenhire and Wally Backman were taking ground balls. Standing there nursing the 64 oz. beer I had just bought, minding my own business when Backman ran into the outfield to do some sprints, Gardenhire had just picked up a grounder and was set to toss it to Backman , but he wasn’t there. He just started to run toward the first base dugout, for some reason looked my way, pumped once and threw the ball right towards me. He threw it perfect as it bounced once and was sailing into the stands directly in front of me. All I remembered were the dreams I had as a kid of dreaming to get a ball, ANY ball, and as I was watching it come right at me, I realized I didn’t have my Dave Concepcion glove with me. As I leaned slightly over the railing, I heard a voice behind me yell,” Watch yer beer!” I did catch that ball, one handed. It slipped out of my hand and bounced off the tarp, and bounced back up into my hand again as I spilled a bit of my beer on the tarp. Gardenhire watched the whole thing and when he saw I finally did catch the ball, he gave me the thumbs up sign and disappeared into the dugout.
I still have that ball and when ever I look at it I always remember my heart pounding and how my childhood dreams came true that cold April night at Shea Stadium.
After I caught the ball, I turned around and everyone clapped as one guy yelled, “There’s a souvenir for a lucky fan!”
To this day, I love to watch the reactions of folks as they try to catch a foul ball, especially the reactions of those that actually do catch one.It is something that we all dream of,whether we admit it or not.
So if your going to a game this year, dont forget your glove,because if a ball does come your way,ya better catch it,because it is one of the top ten experiences of life.Good luck.
There are always some people that laugh at me and ask me why a grown man needs to bring a glove to a game, I always tell them that no one in their right mind would try and catch one of those balls bare handed. After all, those things are screaming when they come off the bat.
comin at ya!!
Back in the late eighties at a Met game, after sneaking up front right past the bag on the third base line, Mookie Wilson smashed one. I had no idea it was coming my way. I had leaned over to say something to the guy to my right when I heard a loud CRACK!! And I heard some one say LOOK OUT! It was over before I knew it And as I looked to my left, the guy right next to me, (who had decided to take his shirt off to catch some rays) had made an attempt to catch the ball……..with his chest, but came up empty handed, however his son had caught it . I still can’t keep from laughing as I think of the imprint that ball made on that dude’s chest, not to mention the imprint it must have made on his ego. When I think of it now, he really should have sought medical attention. He was moaning and groaning, but after a few beers, he seemed to be alright.
I still have that ball and when ever I look at it I always remember my heart pounding and how my childhood dreams came true that cold April night at Shea Stadium.
After I caught the ball, I turned around and everyone clapped as one guy yelled, “There’s a souvenir for a lucky fan!”
To this day, I love to watch the reactions of folks as they try to catch a foul ball, especially the reactions of those that actually do catch one.It is something that we all dream of,whether we admit it or not.
Hey? Isn't that Bud Selig?
So if your going to a game this year, dont forget your glove,because if a ball does come your way,ya better catch it,because it is one of the top ten experiences of life.Good luck.
