It's all mine

[murphusa]

I have been to over 1,500 games and never caught a ball. Here in Philly they have taken up the Cubs tradition and throw back the visitors home run balls. If one ever came my way I would keep it. I would also not give it to the snotty little kid near me.

From the New York Times Magazine

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/ma...1&ref=magazine


Foul Ball

By CHUCK KLOSTERMAN


At a baseball game in San Francisco, my friend Fritz managed to catch a foul ball. A kid sitting a few rows behind my friend was also among those scrambling for the ball. Urged on by 50 surrounding fans, my friend gave the ball to the kid. The fans cheered. Not two minutes later, a rival fan showed up and offered the kid $100 for the ball. With his parents’ encouragement, the kid exchanged the ball for the cash. My friend was outraged. Should the kid have refused the cash, split the money with my friend or given all the cash to Fritz? JEFF MCNEAR, LARKSPUR, CALIF.

When your friend surrendered his foul ball to the kid, he gave him an intangible gift: the ball itself is real, but the symbolic meaning is impossible to quantify. It’s a memento from a live event that can’t be replicated, an expression of camaraderie between two people who (in theory) love the same game, and the physical representation of a unique memory. When the rival fan showed up with his wallet, the ball’s value suddenly became depressingly tangible — it was now a commodity with an unambiguous price tag. So what this kid (and his opportunistic parents) did was trade something of incalculable value for a fast $100. It was a bad exchange and an unethical exchange. He should have refused the cash.

The way the ball was acquired really matters. Look at it like this: Let’s say a man finds a wristwatch in his deceased parents’ attic. If this watch is worth $100, the man can decide whether he wants to keep it or sell it on eBay. It’s just an item that came from somewhere unexpected; there’s no emotion embedded within the object. But let’s say that same watch had been a gift from his dying father, handed over on his deathbed. Let’s also assume the son had always coveted the watch and the father wanted him to keep it as a family artifact. Selling it for $100 would now be profoundly depraved. Because now it’s not just a wristwatch — it’s something else entirely. It’s a conscious connection to another person. To immediately monetize its significance is wrong. It’s the difference between regifting a mixing bowl you didn’t even list on your bridal registry and pawning your wedding ring when your wife is on vacation.

Had the kid caught the baseball on his own, he could sell it to whomever he desired (and for any price). Your friend could have done the same, had he hung onto it. But that’s not what happened. The boy wanted the ball for motives that had nothing to do with its resale value (unless this kid is some kind of sublime con artist who exclusively operates out of Major League ballparks). Your friend gave him the ball as an act of good will. He probably thought, This young person will appreciate a baseball more than I would, and giving it to him in public will set a good example. Though the family had every legal right to sell this gift, it was wrong of them to do so.


E-mail queries to ethicist@nytimes.com, or send them to the Ethicist, The New York Times Magazine, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018, and include a daytime phone number. You can follow The Ethicist on Twitter: @theethicist.

[D. Bergin]

What a crappy thing for the parents to teach their kid.

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

What a crappy thing for the parents to teach their kid.

I agree. Sad...very very sad.

[brickyardkennedy]

No good deed goes unpunished.

The parents are moral imbeciles and the kid sadly, will follow their example in life.

[D. Bergin]

Ethical questions aside. Perhaps the biggest question is who would pay $100 for a nondescript foul ball at a game?

The thrill is in being the one catching the ball, monetarily speaking it can't be worth much more then the price of the ball.

In essence, this guy paid for somebody else's thrill.

[Wymers Auction]

I think the kid will want that ball back someday!!!

[smotan_02]

Originally Posted by murphusa

If one ever came my way I would keep it. I would also not give it to the snotty little kid near me.

Really? Never? Would a ball really mean that much to you? No wonder most of the threads surrounding this one are about the hobby being under investigation.

I think that article you posted is a fictitious story, fabricated to prove an ethical point (ironic, right?). As pointed out earlier, who would pay $100 for a foul ball. However, the video link below...is not fictitious. Would you really be that guy?

http://deadspin.com/5905250/worst-pe...by-michael-kay

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by smotan_02

Really? Never? Would a ball really mean that much to you? No wonder most of the threads surrounding this one are about the hobby being under investigation.

I think that article you posted is a fictitious story, fabricated to prove an ethical point (ironic, right?). As pointed out earlier, who would pay $100 for a foul ball. However, the video link below...is not fictitious. Would you really be that guy?

http://deadspin.com/5905250/worst-pe...by-michael-kay

I think the kid was crying because he got jostled around by his parents trying to snatch the ball. Don't think he was old enough to give a crap about the ball one way or another.

I'm a Yankee fan, but Michael Kay is awful.

[smotan_02]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

I think the kid was crying because he got jostled around by his parents trying to snatch the ball. Don't think he was old enough to give a crap about the ball one way or another.

Which is why the kid reached for the ball afterwards, right?

[murphusa]

Originally Posted by smotan_02

Really? Never? Would a ball really mean that much to you? No wonder most of the threads surrounding this one are about the hobby being under investigation.

I think that article you posted is a fictitious story, fabricated to prove an ethical point (ironic, right?). As pointed out earlier, who would pay $100 for a foul ball. However, the video link below...is not fictitious. Would you really be that guy?

http://deadspin.com/5905250/worst-pe...by-michael-kay

all this video showed was the kids, parents and the announcers are democrats who think they deserve everything. Blame his dad for not working hard enough to get the ball in the first place. :-)

The story? Why did the guy pay for the ball? He was a Republican and could afford it and he most likely had a brat with him crying for a ball so to shut him up he went down and paid for one.


And yes because after that day I could always tell my grandchildren about the day I caught the ball. I go to enough games where I see kids and their parents being brats about getting balls.

I have seen parents sending their kids to go ask a guy who caught a ball to give it up. BS

It's mine

[Bugsy]

There is also a big difference in catching a batted ball vs. a player soft-tossing a souvenir into the stands.

[smotan_02]

Originally Posted by murphusa

It's mine

That beautifully captures the essence of why catching a foul/HR ball will not bring you the joy you think it will. Unfortunately you will not know what I mean until your moment happens.

[mcgwirecom]

I have two thoughts on the issue. They are foul ball or tossed ball vs Homerun ball.

Now , I always wanted to get a ball anyway possible when I was a kid. But my father would rarely take us to a game and when he did they were cheap seats and no way were we getting there for BP. So when I was older we would always get there for BP and I'd bring a glove. I usually am in the bleachers trying to get a homerun BP ball. I was in my 40's and had my step son at his first game. the kid was about 9 and managed by hook or crook to get 3, yes 3 baseballs! Stepson 3, me 0! A few years later we got there earky to watch Barry Bonds take BP. My stepson managed to get a ricochet off the third deck. Finally a year later I caught a Bonds BP HR off the second deck in the air. A year or so later I got an Andre Ethier BP HR on the fly. If there was a little kid nearby I would probably hand it over. I did in Txas after catching a BP HR ball.

I had seats near 1st base once an Ryan Howard tossed a foul tip over and I caught it. I knew they tend to show you on TV when this happens so I handed the ball to a little kid nearby. I was right, several people at work said they saw it so it looked better to hand it over!

Now as for a HR ball during a game, no way, no how am I giving it away to anyone, even a crying child. Sorry. I came close once. Had it all lined up and at the last second the guy in front of me tipped it away from my glove.

There is one caveat to my giving away of a foul ball. If it was an important historic game I would probably keep it. I was at Randy Johnson's 300th win game. There was hardly anyone there so I was hoping to get a ball. One was fouled over my head into the next section which had only a few people in it. I watched a guy hopping over seats to try and catch up to it as it rolled downhill. I ran over and got several rows in front of it and it rolled to me. I got booed by the crowd as they thought the guy chasing it should get it. But I do not care, I got a game used 300th win ball. plus he was a grown man and had a shot to catch it and blew it. Sorry.

[Runscott]

At the Seattle/KC game Thursday, I noticed that any ball that hits the dirt gets removed from the game. I was thinking what a waste of money that was, but then after the game I noticed a huge pile of balls at a concession table, with a sign that said something like: 'souvenir balls used in today's game'.

Another thing to think about - it's unlikely that as a 54-yr old man, I could walk down to the 1st row and have a player toss me a ball, but this year I've noticed that almost any kid can get a ball if he hangs around the dugout or the bat girl. Plus, the kid's parents can always go buy them one at the concession table (not sure how much).

Of course, I have no need for a ball, so I'd give a foul ball to a kid, but I might keep a HR ball.

[Mr. Zipper]

I was at a Yankee game with a friend about 10 years ago and my buddy got a foul ball.

Within 15 seconds there were kids (mostly young teens) coming over to us asking for the ball. This went on for a while. Some really carried on and one in particular that stands out said something to the effect of, "C'mon... I've never gotten one before."

My friend's response was, "Neither have I and I've gone to over a 100 games and waited 33 years. Go to enough games and you'll eventually get one the honest way."

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by mcgwirecom

I have two thoughts on the issue. They are foul ball or tossed ball vs Homerun ball.

Now , I always wanted to get a ball anyway possible when I was a kid. But my father would rarely take us to a game and when he did they were cheap seats and no way were we getting there for BP. So when I was older we would always get there for BP and I'd bring a glove. I usually am in the bleachers trying to get a homerun BP ball. I was in my 40's and had my step son at his first game. the kid was about 9 and managed by hook or crook to get 3, yes 3 baseballs! Stepson 3, me 0! A few years later we got there earky to watch Barry Bonds take BP. My stepson managed to get a ricochet off the third deck. Finally a year later I caught a Bonds BP HR off the second deck in the air. A year or so later I got an Andre Ethier BP HR on the fly. If there was a little kid nearby I would probably hand it over. I did in Txas after catching a BP HR ball.

I had seats near 1st base once an Ryan Howard tossed a foul tip over and I caught it. I knew they tend to show you on TV when this happens so I handed the ball to a little kid nearby. I was right, several people at work said they saw it so it looked better to hand it over!

Now as for a HR ball during a game, no way, no how am I giving it away to anyone, even a crying child. Sorry. I came close once. Had it all lined up and at the last second the guy in front of me tipped it away from my glove.

There is one caveat to my giving away of a foul ball. If it was an important historic game I would probably keep it. I was at Randy Johnson's 300th win game. There was hardly anyone there so I was hoping to get a ball. One was fouled over my head into the next section which had only a few people in it. I watched a guy hopping over seats to try and catch up to it as it rolled downhill. I ran over and got several rows in front of it and it rolled to me. I got booed by the crowd as they thought the guy chasing it should get it. But I do not care, I got a game used 300th win ball. plus he was a grown man and had a shot to catch it and blew it. Sorry.

Awesome post, Randall!

I'm with you, I'm keeping the HR ball no matter what as you know so well.
Good style on returning the one ball to the kid, given a chance.

The video posted earlier where the kid was crying demonstrated the ultimate in self absorbance by the two Rangers fans. Get your photo holding up the trophy, but give the kid the dang ball, please!

[steve B]

I "caught" a foul finally at a minor league game. They have a concesion stand down the far end of the stands in right. The batter hit a long foul just short of there, and I started wondering if he'd hit another. Two pitches later as I'm holding a cardboard tray of drinks waiting for hotdogs and pretzels he hits another. Right at us. The guy in front tries for it, it deflects off his hand about 6-7 feet into my stomach and drops in the tray. He and his two girls borrowed it to have a look then gave it back. They weren't all that interested in the ball after about 30 seconds. I'm not sure what I'd have done if they wanted it.

About a week later I'm at a Sox-Yankees game sitting in one of the seats next to a pole, just right of the screen. Hardly any fouls go back there. Hands full again, soda and nachos and one of the yanks hits a hard foul right at us. Quickly figuring the soda and nachos cost more than the ball and not knowing if it was going off the pole or not (I've seen a couple nasty deflections over the years) I did the only sensible thing - Held the food and ducked so the Yankee fans behind me could get the ball. I think it hit the pole head on, and bounced lower since the guys behind me didn't get it.

Steve B