I have always wanted to be a part of something special and catch a milestone Home Run ball. Whether it is a record breaking homer or a first career homer I always thought it would be cool to be a part of it. Why? Not for a payday, but for the opportunity to meet the player and be the part of a pretty cool experience. What most people don't understand is milestone baseballs are really not worth that much on the memorabilia market. They will not make you a millionaire or make you famous in any way. I have always thought if you caught one you could negotiate a deal with the player who hit it. I would simply ask for an autograph, maybe a jersey or a bat but just the opportunity to meet the player would be a good enough experience for me. Here are a couple of stories where fans do not feel the same way.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2009/05/fan-drives-hard-bargain-for-coghlans-first-home-run-ball.html
Florida Marlins player Chris Coghlan hit his first home run at Miller Park. The fan demanded a number of items including a Hanley Ramirez signed bat.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/23/SP8I19R0FM.DTL
Oakland Outfielder Matt Carson hit his first ML home run and the fan demanded $10,000. Carson refused to pay it.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/story/1270200.html
A 12 year old girl caught Ryan Howard's 200th Home Run in Florida. The girl initially traded the ball for a signed Ryan Howard bat. But an attorney helped retrieve the ball after the family realized the ball could be worth more than the bat.
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2 comments:
If I am in the outfield and I catch Barry Bonds's lifetime record breaking home run ball or McGwire's home run that broke Maris's record...you better believe I am selling that ball. I LOVE baseball, but, think about the kind of money those balls brought in. That money could completely change my life and my family's life. I love the game and I don't consider myself to be greedy, but thats just too much money to pass up. That could help set me and my kids up for life.
Now, if I just catch some random player's first home run. I will probably just throw it back on the field. That's his moment, not mine. I'm not big on autographs or even meeting celebrities, so I really wouldn't need anything back for it.
Of course, I can't catch a damn football with my bare hands, so there is no way I am ever going to catch a baseball barehanded, who are we kidding!
Yeah, I agree with you on the big time milestones. But I think that people are thinking that these baseballs are worth more than what they really are.
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