OT: Home Run Balls

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Posted By: Glen V

I was at the AZ Diamondback game last night and got a HR ball. A couple minutes later a PR staff member came over and got my address. They take the ball, have the player that hit the HR sign it (S. Drew in my case), then mail it to the person who caught it. What a cool thing for the team to do!!! Guess I've never known anyone that got a ball. Do all the teams do this?

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Posted By: davidcycleback

The team packaging, along with the ticket, serves as good documentation of authenticity. For autographs in particular, a mailing envelope from the player or team is considered strong evidence of authenticity. Obviously if they include some sort of COA, even better.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Perhaps it's the teams way to take the real homerun ball and give it to the player and switch it out with another ball if the player wants to keep it???

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Posted By: DJ

Toronto does the same thing. They give you an LOA as well. It's real neat! Good to get a rising star like Drew too. Congratulations on getting a home run ball. Not too many people can say they have.

DJ

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I've seen modern home run balls with COAs from different teams, which means MLB teams are prepared to process home run balls. And the balls were normal, every day home runs from normal players, not big records or special Barry Bonds balls

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Posted By: john/z28jd

I'll be in the right field stands at Citizens Bank Park on tuesday to catch Ryan Howards 60th homer so ill let you know how they handle that when i get home that night

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

John: maybe you will catch all three.

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Posted By: Jeff

The D-Backs have been doing that since they started.
Cool idea.
I met a guy that caught some RC's first HR and the D-Backs offered him an auto bat in exchange so the play could have it.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Dan,

Such a pessimist... that's exactly what I thought too... they could exchange balls on you. It could be some rookies first HR ball. It could be the next Hank Aaron's first home run ball... 20 years later you're telling all of your friends about this guys first HR ball you caught and then you see Sotheby's or whomever auctioning off that same persons FIRST HR ball. For 20 years you thought you had it but all you had was a BP (batting practice) ball with the guys signature on it.

John,

If I'm in the stands and I catch Howards 74th HR ball there is no way in hell that I'm going to give it to any usher or anybody for that matter. They're going to have to pry it from my hands after they kill me.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Gil if i catch 3 HR balls by Howard on tuesday ill give you one,and ill give Fred the other.He better do something soon,altho it would be exciting,catching homer #57 just doesnt have the same feel as #60. Howard has been striking out at record pace recently(163 on the season now),probably trying too hard for that homer.I saw and followed him alot in the minors and i expected a .280 hitter with 40 homers who would strikeout alot and couldnt field or run.Well i got the last 3 right but hes hitting .315 and passed 40 awhile ago

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Posted By: Keith

I think it has to be frustrating for him right now, as he's getting nothing to hit. He was on fire going into that Florida series, but he got walked so many times in that series, seems to have cooled him off a little. I think he'll turn it on again, especially at home.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Gil, The first thing that popped into my head when he said the D-Backs take the ball and then send it to you is "How can you know you're getting the same ball back?", "What if they take the ball and the player wants to keep it?"

Can you imagine Barry Bonds ever autographing a homerun ball and giving it back to a fan? Doug Mintkeidufosudfoiusddkfsk of the Red Sox wouldn't give the Sox the final out ball of the 2004 World Series saying it was going to put his kid through college...as if his salary wasn't sufficient to send his kid to college already. I would never trust todays greedy players to do the right thing. JMO.

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Posted By: ItsStillOnlyGil

Yeah John, if you catch a ball for me - you sign it. We will know its authenticity. And thats all I need.

Edited to add:

Plus, I will pay for your admission ticket, provided that you get that tightwad Judge to pay for your transportation to the park + a beer - when you turn over his ball. But wait - if you are catching HR balls, you are out deep. I will throw in a beer as well. (And we are talking full on ballpark beers: the price of a six pack anywhere else, not those cheapo $5 hotel beers).