OT do you have to give the ball to a kid?

[Spaceman213J]

For me, a ball thrown into the stands at the end of a half-inning is much different than catching a foul ball or homerun. You catch a foul ball or homerun and its yours to with as you please.

If the player throws a ball for a young fan, let him have it.

I remember when the guy who rented our cottage to us on Cape Cod gave me a foul ball he had caught about 10 years earlier at a Sox game. He was lonely after his wife died and we would go watch Sox games with him on his tv on some nights. Oh, the ball was a foul ball hit by Yaz.

 

[Dove]

MLB Groundskeeper here, I always try to throw balls to kids or a family. Someone 18-20 getting a ball and not giving it to a kid is a lot different than a 45-50 year old guy there alone, in my opinion.

Do you the YMCA thing?

 

[Al Czervik]

I don't know the rule, but here's my theory. If you ever got a ball before, whether tossed or foul or a home run, give the ball to the kid. If not, then hell no, you're deserving to get a ball once in your life and those kids have more years than you do to get one.

This 100%. My first ball was from Preston Wilson during BP when he hit a HR to LF in dodger stadium. It’s in a display cube on my nightstand to this day. All other balls subsequently caught at games (MLB, minors, cape cod, etc.) have been given to nearby kids, or really good friends. It means a lot to share the joy of getting a ball with others because it doesn’t happen often.

 

[Al Czervik]

This 100%. My first ball was from Preston Wilson during BP when he hit a HR to LF in dodger stadium. It’s in a display cube on my nightstand to this day. All other balls subsequently caught at games (MLB, minors, cape cod, etc.) have been given to nearby kids, or really good friends. It means a lot to share the joy of getting a ball with others because it doesn’t happen often.

To qualify, adults should never keep a ball if they purposefully prevent a kid from catching it. Seems pretty basic, but there are plenty of clueless folks out there (no boneyarders, of course!)

 

[Huskyforlife]

Hot take, no.

I caught the ball, it’s something I’ll keep for the rest of my life. If I have kids, I’ll pass it down to them.

If it’s some random foul ball at a minor league game, the little kid will get more out of it than me. But Juan Soto tossing me a ball? That’s a once in a lifetime experience.

 

[temery]

Hot take, no.

I caught the ball, it’s something I’ll keep for the rest of my life. If I have kids, I’ll pass it down to them.

If it’s some random foul ball at a minor league game, the little kid will get more out of it than me. But Juan Soto tossing me a ball? That’s a once in a lifetime experience.

how old are you when he touched the ball?

 

[UConnJim]

I got my first ball as a kid at Fenway (foul ball) after a man gave it to me and I never forgot the jesture and it made my day. Probably have gotten 10 foul balls or balls tossed into the stands over the years at Red Sox games, but never a HR. Always gave it to a kid as it means much more to them than it does to me.

 

[Scoe]

I went to a Yankees game on Saturday, and Juan Soto tosses a ball into the rf stands a kid I'd say 18-20 years old grabs it right at his seats. About 2 kids I'd say ages 8-12 go after the ball and just run back to their seats they're not even upset they didn't get a ball.

The 18ish year old kid keeps the ball, after being yelled at to give the ball to a kid. Now he's being called an a hole and shouted all kinds of obscenities for not giving up the ball who's the really worse person in this situation now, it's not like he jumped over a kid and stole a ball or there was a crying kid. A part of me wanted to yell to keep the ball just to go against the grain, but I figured I better not risk getting into a confrontation people are crazy these days.

I would probably cave in and give the ball to a kid, I would hold the ball up for a good 10 seconds and just hold the ball behind my back and let a kid grab it.

I forgot to mention btw that between innings there was an Hispanic girl going to the front of the rf bleachers holding a baby Yankees jersey, wearing a crown on her head, professing her love for Juan Soto.

 

[ctchamps]

Exactly what I said. You get the ball, get your glory on video, and then hand it off.

Two fans in the entire stadium and you beat out a little girl to get a ball isn’t my idea of glory. Kudos he gave it to here however.

 

[SubbaBub]

Unless the ball was being specifically given to the kid or if the guy ran through the kid to get it, he's fine. Though an 18-20 year old has no use for it after catching it and should give it away.

A 30 year old should keep it assuming he has a kid at home that would he super jazzed that his dad caught a ball. Assuming kids still care about baseball.

If that doesn't make sense than neither does arguing about it.

 

[Waquoit]

Unless the ball was being specifically given to the kid or if the guy ran through the kid to get it, he's fine. Though an 18-20 year old has no use for it after catching it and should give it away.

A 30 year old should keep it assuming he has a kid at home that would he super jazzed that his dad caught a ball. Assuming kids still care about baseball.

If that doesn't make sense than neither does arguing about it.

That's how I feel. If I catch a batted ball, I'm keeping it. If it's a toss into the stands that comes my way, I'm giving it away. I make a distinction between earned and unearned.

 

[microfich]

Fenway : foul ball as Gampel : T-shirt, relatively speaking.

In the old BE days, kids rarely attended games. We were a rabid, often foul-mouthed bunch. Parents were smart to keep their kids away and I kept every T-shirt I caught.
Nowadays, kids are all over the place. Whether due to our success, the cost of baby sitters or simple indulgence, it's a big change.
Now when I catch one, and I do still try, I find a youngster and the look on their face is a bigger gift than any t-shirt could be.

 

[Kolumbo]

Pro tip: Carry an officially licensed ball in your pocket. If you get lucky, you do the switcharoo.

 

[El Obrero]

Just keep the ball. And if anyone hassles you, tell them you decided to give it to your inner child!

 

[ctkaiser]

These are the same people who tell you to throw back a HR ball hit by the opposing team. A long Yankees tradition. (NOT it's a Cubs tradition) I kind of feel like I'm a little tired of people telling me what to do, how to feel, etc. If one of these situations comes up I'll figure it out when it happens.

 

[ucp990411]

It's a freakin baseball. Give it to the kid.