Ticket stub question
 

Being a Pirate fan I saw a listing for a stub to Dave Parker's first game and was immediately interested. Adding a Dave Parker début ticket to my collection seemed a no-no brainer. Then after a bit of research I discovered that Parkers first game was actually played 07/12/1973. I then looked up his stats and saw that he was credited with single in a pinch hit appearance on 04/21/73 against the Cubs at Wrigley. How could this be?

I then learned that this game was suspended in the sixth inning on 04/21/73 and completed 7/26/73. Parker batted as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of that game two weeks after his actual début. Since the at bat is attributed to the 04/21/73 game even though it ended almost three months later would you consider it his début ticket?

Hey Mike,

I'd say that first game in April where he got the hit is his debut ticket. The person who used that ticket saw him get that hit. Interesting situation though for sure.

I agree with Luke - go get that stub!

I love these 'All Washington' discussions. David and Jeff - surely one of you has some input?

I think you're reading the post wrong. The hit was made in July during the resumed game that started in April. Since he didn't actually play in April (presumably in the minors at the time), I would NOT consider it his debut ticket.

The question, and may be hard to answer, would be was the resumed game part of a doubleheader that day, and were the earlier ticket stubs accepted for entry or exchange for the July game?

I would tend to go for both, but if one wants to be technical about it then I would want the stub with the date the hit actually happened, the later one.

Yeah, I think I read it wrong. It's complicated :)

I would want the ticket of the actual game where he first appeared. I would go by this criteria: Did the ticket holder see Dave Parker play for the first time? In this specific instance, I would want the April ticket as well, just because it makes for a cool story if you have both.

I think I read it right, but understood it wrong. Re-reading, I still don't understand it.

I would want the stub, if it's the actual April stub.

This is a similar situation to Barry Bonds' debut. If you look on his stats it says he was in a game on April 20th, 1986. This game was suspended in a tie and finished on August 11th. Bonds actual first game was on May 30th. In reality his first appearance was on May 30th so that is his debut. No one actually saw him play on April 20th.

You also have to look at whether people could see the completion of the game with their original ticket stub. Most of the time they just finish it before another game so I doubt the original ticket would get you in. I would want the earlier stub for the uniqueness factor, not because it was his debut.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I decided to pass on the ticket. It feels too much like an exercise in logic that I am ill equipped to deal with.