A Drought Ended

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

Jay and I went to the Twins game tonight and a long standing drought has come to an end. We ssaw a nicely pitched game in which the Twins won 4-0 on a Johan Santana 3 hitter, GO TWINS!!!!!
During the game I got my first foul ball in a major league game. I have attended at least 250 games in my lifetime never to have one come close until this year when I was at a game with my uncle who is handicap and a foul ball was coming down straight at me (I forgot my glove for the game, go figure) I bailed out and to my shugrin realized that a handicapped guy next to me was below, it missed him and bounced away. Tonight afoul ball came down to me off the bat of Doug Mientwicz, with my glove on my left hand and snared the ball. The ball was than given to a boy sitting in front of us ( He was one happy guy, and very grateful). I could finally say that I got a foul ball!!!!!!!

By the way Jay headed under the seat for cover.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I headed for cover only because I was holding a brand new digital camera that I was trying to protect from Lee's poor fielding. One flick of the elbow and I could have easily cleared him and anyone else in the area to get the ball. Besides, I feel sorry for not getting a ball. I got my first one in 1976 of a Butch Wynegar foul ball and then got it signed after the game as he left the park. Since then, I've caught somewhere around a dozen balls, including 3 in one game at Oakland. I've also caught balls in 4 parks, Metropolitan Stadium, Candlestick, PacBell and The Collesium.

It was a great game. Lee forgot to mention Santan had 13 K's with 10 after 6 innings. Also got some very cool pics with the new camera.

Jay

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Posted By: andy becker

it's a thrill, even more so for the young recepient. i vended at wrigley and comisky for 6 years, have a ton of bp balls, but no game foul balls. as a spectator, i was handed a ball (we were in the front row behind cubs dugout) by billy williams. that ball was passed immeadiately to a child right behind us. his eyes lit up, christmas in july!

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Posted By: John/z28jd

First of all Lee,i cant believe you gave your first foul ball away,sure its nice to give it to a kid but you wait till the 2nd ball to do that

I was at a game last year and sitting down the 1st base line when a line drive came and hit the row behind me about 10 seats closer to home plate,it then went into the row in front of me,with no one around i reached over picked up the ball then got run by some 12 year old kid who almost took my arm off and he knocked the ball out and then started to walk away.

He stopped and came back and gave me the ball and said im sorry,you had that ball already. So i got my first foul ball twice and i didnt have to wait for that little kid to be all alone and strongarm it back

In a family full of baseball fans who have been to over 500 games combined,i have the one and only foul ball.Of course my cousin had to ruin it by getting engaged to a former minor league baseball player so now his stories overshadow my foul ball story

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Posted By: Nick

Lee,
I too had attended hundreds of games without a single foul ball. Last year I purchased season tickets for the Las Vegas 51's(Dodgers AAA). The seats were located in a section directly behind the plate.

It took about 6 games for a towering shot to go up directly above my head. It seemed to be in the air for an hour. I lost it for a second in the dark night sky and panic set in and I covered my head and ducked. I looked up just in time to see the ball land with a thud about 3 feet from my wife. And down came the rain of BOOOOOs!

I redeemed my self later in the game when a softer shot came my way. Since then I have had two more with out a single error.


Nick

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Posted By: steve k

I also have attended hundreds of MLB games. Caught just one foul ball. It was on the first base side roughly behind the dugout about 30 rows up at the Phillies old Veterans Stadium in the mid 1970's. It was off the bat of Pete Rose when he was with the Reds. I have played a lot of baseball, mostly outfield, so when the ball was hit, midway through the air I knew that I had a very good chance at it. The stands were crowded so of course you can't go to the ball, the ball has to come to you. It was surreal as it seemed like the ball took about a few minutes to get there but it landed in my raised hands with a two-handed catch. It's funny, I was so excited about catching the ball that I didn't even initially realize who hit it until my cousin told me a batter or two later that it was from Pete Rose.

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Posted By: jay behrens

Part of the reason I've been able to get so many balls is that most of them were retrived at extra inning games at Candlestick in the mid 80s where literally there were only a few hundred people left in the stands.

Jay

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Posted By: t-206collector

May 14, 1998 TEX-NYY. Mariano Rivera pitched it, Ivan Rodriguez hit it and I caught it on the fly with my glove while falling over a row of seats to my left. I got a minor standing ovation from the crowd at Yankee Stadium. Three days later I was at David Wells' perfect game. Not a bad four days in my baseball-fandom, but still the only foul ball I have caught during a game (as opposed to BP). Ironically, I've actually been to more perfect games (2, including David Cone's) than foul balls I've caught!

It's a tremendous thrill and ended a drought that I also thought would never end...

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

After my long drought of never getting a foul ball, I know have caught 2. I was at last night Twins (8-5 11 inning thriller) game and low and behold another foul ball came right to my seat. Funny how it works, go for years without and now 2 in one year. I did make a little girl sitting behind me very happy, that's the best part. I didn't have Jay cowarding under a seeat this time.

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Posted By: jay behrens

If I was there, I would have snagged it since my arms are much longer than yours. Plus, yo probably would have gotten a hip check to clear some space.

Jay

I like to sit outside, drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home I would be arrested, so I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: John/z28jd

Dammit Lee,whats with you and giving away your balls!

Without the proof who's gonna believe you ever had them? According to Jay you never did

Seriously tho,keep one for yourself man! Give it to a grandkid or something when youre older not some little kid whos probably playing baseball with it in the mean streets of Warba,Minnesota

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Posted By: jay behrens

Lee having grandkids means he needs to get a date first :-p

Jay

I like to sit outside, drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home I would be arrested, so I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: runscott

I haven't gotten a foul ball, but back in June Julio Franco lost his bat and it hit a woman a few rows down from us - you really don't want to see Julio Franco's bat flying at you.

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Posted By: Pcelli60

I got one off the bat of RJ Reynolds , then of Pittsburg, in 1989 at Shea Stadium. I keep it on my dresser and enjoy it every day..Also got passed in the stands that day by Richard Nixon..

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Posted By: Lee Behrens

John, I have quite a few official balls from them being thrown to me or BP and we use to carry them in our card store. I guess I have found no real attactment to a ball yet. It is a thrill to caatch one, but I think it is a greater thrill to see a young kid enjoy the ball and hopefully become lifetime fans.

Heck I can't even remember who hit the first one I caught in July. This one was off Hank Blalock, his previous at-bat he sent a screamer about 8 rows above me and hit a kid. this is why I alsways bring my glove.