Daughter or Ball? Which would you choose?

[sdkammeyer]

Since we are on the subject, I made a real azz out of myself once and I might as well share that story now

It's been probably close to 10 years ago now, but a female friend of mine was having her company picnic at Memorial Park in Ft. Wayne, IN. Home of the "Triple A" Ft. Wayne Wizards (since then they built a new stadium and are now the Tincaps). She was single and had a 6-7 year old daughter. I was freshly single with a 6-7yr old daughter ... she knew I was a baseball fan...... so she asked me to go along. It was a 4:00 game but we got there about noon for the company picnic. Completely catered, great food, they gave out silly company awards..... it was pretty cool even though I didn't know a single soul there besides her and her daughter.

FREE BEER ..... I bet you know where this story is heading now right?

I had one too many between noon and game time. I wasn't stumbling/slurring drunk....... but I was pretty hopped up.

The screen behind home plate went from the field straight up about 30ft and then turned to cover the first few rows. We were directly behind home in row 12. The female friend and I sat together and the girls sat one row down right in front of us. From first pitch I envisioned a foul ball landing on top of the net right in front of me and lazily rolling into my hands as it fell out.

Late in the game it actually happened .....there was a foul ball that landed on top of the screen and started rolling right at me. Well, the alcohol ingestion must have altered my sense of distance because as the ball reached the edge of the net and started falling It was about 4 rows ahead of me.

I was already dead set on getting this ball and it was too late to turn back.

Now I had a few balls given to me at big league games over the years but I had never actually caught a foul ball/homerun. Being my first Minor League game I didn't know protocol and at that moment I didn't care either. Dropped my beer, stood on the back of the seat in front of me and took off like Superman. I ended up 3 rows down with the ball in my hand. No clue how that happened, but I quickly stood up with a huge smile on my face and notice that not only is everyone in the section staring at me .... they are GLARING at me.

Then I hear the screams..... and as a father, I could pick my kids' scream out of a lineup with a blindfold on.

When I dropped my beer .... it was on her.
When I stood on the back of the seat ahead of me .... I was stepping on the hair of my friends daughter as she was standing up to reach for the ball.
When I landed, it was on my friends supervisor and his wife.

I sulked back to my seat and prayed for a quick couple of innings so we could get the hell out of there. I felt horrible as I consoled the two crying girls ...... and the stench of stale/dried beer on my daughter for the hour long drive home was a constant reminder.... not to mention the attitude from my female friend as she was worried what her co-workers would be talking about around the watercooler the next day at work.

I made a complete idiot out of myself.

Oddly enough the friend and I dated for about 6 months after that and I bought a little case for the ball and put it on a shelf at her house.

When we parted ways I forgot the dang ball and I haven't talked to her since. All that for a baseball .... and a minor league ball at that.

[ullmandds]

nice Steve...go hard or go home!!!!!!

[freakhappy]

Great story Steve...Oh what baseball will do to men

[Buythatcard]

Steve, great story to end 2012.

Would love to see a video of that one.

[z28jd]

About 6-7 years ago I got my first foul ball at a game but it was a cheap one, the ball rolled down an empty aisle in front of me as I sat down the first base line and I picked it up. I actually had a overanxious big-headed kid, about ten years old, knock the ball from my hand about two seconds after I picked it up. He got it and apologized and handed it back to me, which was a good thing for him because I was already planning his demise.

Last season, while sitting with family about ten rows back of the dugout, a soft liner came off the bat of a late-swinging righty. Everyone around me parted like that Sea that was Red in the bible(I forget it's name) and I caught it! I used two hands, for you kids at home reading this. That ball instantly became my favorite son. It sits on my shelf, right in the middle, proudly displayed. Old rolly ball is off to the side on my desk among cards and other assorted things. I now call it my red-headed step-ball.

Here is the pic I sent out to friends and family on facebook announcing the "birth" of my favorite son