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Odds of Catching a Foul Ball

 

During Wednesday's game at the ToiletDome, they showed a guy down the LF line sitting alone in a sea of hundreds of empty seats.  A foul ball bounced a few times before landing right in his lap.  He didn’t even put down his soda or stand up.  It caught him more than he caught it.

I’ve been to umpteen games in 18 different MLB ballparks, but never caught a ball.  Never really been that close, although I got one in a Class A Midwest league game.  I almost got a HR ball at Camden on the fandeck in RF, but it bounced the wrong way off a garbage can.  My brother caught one at his first MLB game.  Now he brings his glove every game (that’s just wrong to have a glove on).

This is an old link, but Fangraphs once attempted to calculate the odds of catching one:

Odds of Catching a Foul Ball

I already assume everybody here besides me has caught one.  BP doesn’t count, I say.  Anyone got a good story?

SouthSideSox is a community driven site. As such, users are able to express their thoughts and opinions in a FanPost, such as this one, which represents the views of this particular fan, but not necessarily the entire community or SouthSideSox editors.

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i haven't caught anything

" Do you guys know people like you are the reason I wouldn’t come on for exstended periods of time. You rui the baseball blogging expieriance."
by trademaker on May 30, 2009 10:31 PM PDT

by U-God on Sep 4, 2009 11:45 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

yeah, dont tell people about those crabs

we are gonna skullfuck this guy - thecip

by BoeJouma on Sep 4, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

....oops.

we are gonna skullfuck this guy - thecip

by BoeJouma on Sep 4, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

gobble tossed a ball up to me from the bullpen after floyd's loss at the big a earlier this season

never sniffed, whiffed, or tasted fouls or homers otherwise.

These events have me frightened and on the verge of evacuating my bowels.

by thatshortkid on Sep 4, 2009 12:05 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Never caught a fly or foul ball. But Angel Berroa threw me a ball during batting practice when I was sitting in the 500's a few years back. I thought that was pretty odd.

Remember that fan who was at Comiskular last season on the Fan Deck? He caught two significant homers in consecutive games during that last week of the season in which every game was do or die…

That was pretty rare and hilarious….especially when he did his little happy dance.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 4, 2009 12:24 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Joe Randa flipped me a ball in ST a few years ago. Joe Freaking Randa!

I didn’t bathe for a week.

If BP doesn’t count I’m coming up bupkissed.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Just went to his bb-ref page

Turns out he was traded 5 times and drafted 3 (!) times (Once in an expansion draft). That strikes me as a lot of demand for as WU said, Joe Freaking Randa!

by jeeves on Sep 4, 2009 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Close but nothing

I had a hand on a Vance Law foul, first base side upper deck of old Comiskey, probably 1985 or 86. Was in the beer line opening day 1988 when Kenny Williams hit a 2 run bomb into the left field upper deck, landed in my seat. Probably the highlight of Kenny’s career, especially since the Hawk ruined his career by moving him to 3rd base.

by juandisgusto on Sep 4, 2009 12:38 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Kenny Williams?

the Stanford football player?

My alien is homesick

by Nordhagen on Sep 4, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

yes

Stanford wide receiver, Sox draftee, CF, 3B, GM. Same guy.

by juandisgusto on Sep 4, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It was Fregosi who ruined him.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks

I was thinking of Hawk moving Fisk to LF. Himes was the GM in ’88. I liked Fregosi, but he never had enough talent.

by juandisgusto on Sep 4, 2009 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

He was the manager who moved him over.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

that was a himes idea though.

i don’t think it was a particularly bad one either, considering what he had to work with.

by Hatchetm on Sep 8, 2009 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Batting practice

I went with a friend to a game at Wrigley (you turn down a free ticket to a baseball game), and he brought his little brother who must have been like 12 or 13, maybe younger. Day game, bad weather, week day, so it wasn’t very crowded, so we got up there in the front row.

We’re some of the only people out there, with the weather being bad, so the guys shagging kept trying to get him a ball.. but this kid was a pain in the ass, and just kept jumping in front of us. Needless to say he wasn’t an athlete, and kept knocking them down to the field or into that screen thing. Probably had 5 thrown to us, kept one. Obviously had to give the little kid the ball. And once again I was disgusted with a trip to Wrigley, this time before the game even started.

If it I was my brother, I’d have told him to sit his ass down while I caught the ball, but when it’s your not brother you can’t really go around beating the child or verbally berating him in public.

by Grinder in Training on Sep 4, 2009 12:51 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I completely disagree with you last sentence

if no relatives are around, it is your duty to administer a beat down.

...take your hobbit circle jerk to another thread
by larry on May 18, 2009 8:58 PM PDT

by rhythm on Sep 4, 2009 11:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

His brother was there

Otherwise, of course I destroy the child and throw him onto the warning track.

by Grinder in Training on Sep 9, 2009 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

when i was 5 or so i went to wrigley with my family

we were 2nd row right behind the dugout and moved into the first row. dawson smoked a ball foul. the girls behind us blocked it with a bag or something and it rolled into our row. my dad, who had never gotten a foul ball, almost had a heart attack when my little brother (2 at the time) tried to throw it back on the field. i remember it made the news that night.

brndnprkns: I'm pretty sure the "badass" value of your life is closer to Gigli than The Dark Knight

by whitesoxmatt on Sep 4, 2009 12:51 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

ha! Sounds like your dad would've thrown him with it....

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 4, 2009 12:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

theres a very good chance of that happening

used to go to games at wrigley all the time but thats the only memory from my youth of being at the stadium

brndnprkns: I'm pretty sure the "badass" value of your life is closer to Gigli than The Dark Knight

by whitesoxmatt on Sep 4, 2009 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

at old comiskey

I was about 9 so I brought my glove every time. We were down the third base line. A shot came our way but was several rows short and maybe a section over. It bounced off an elderly womans fingers in her lap and bounded to me. My dad made me give it back. Still havent forgiven him. She should have caught it.

In ST I went to a Sox @ Giants game and took up a spot in left field so I could give Bonds shit. It was 06 when they were trying out 20 loogies who all sucked so the Giants put up over 20 and Bonds was scratched after being in the line-up. Mike Matheny hit a missile off of some bum that went on to drive us all nuts by making the team but for the life of me I cant remember who it was. Anyway, I got up and was moving into position to my left when I bumped into someone also trying for it. Impeded, I extended my hand as if I had a glove on. I didnt. The ball dropped and rolled to a sf fan down the slight decline in front of me. My hand swelled up like a mitt from the 20s and it took a gallon of margaritas to take the sting away physically, but it still hurts mentally knowing I dropped one.

Asked about his thoughts on the weekend, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said simply, "Well, we came to New York and visited the new Yankee Stadium. It is a very nice ballpark. We also stayed at a very nice hotel. That's all I can really say about these past three days."

by e-gus on Sep 4, 2009 1:15 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

it was either 629, 630, or 631

" Do you guys know people like you are the reason I wouldn’t come on for exstended periods of time. You rui the baseball blogging expieriance."
by trademaker on May 30, 2009 10:31 PM PDT

by U-God on Sep 4, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Interesting...

I was at that game in LF heckling the shit out of that asshole.

...take your hobbit circle jerk to another thread
by larry on May 18, 2009 8:58 PM PDT

by rhythm on Sep 4, 2009 11:22 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I can't recall if it was the same game, but it was probably the same series that we were getting killed in the last game and Rowand hit a homer that barely cleared the LF wall. Does that sound familiar?

Fuck it, I’m just going to load up b-r now and look into all this.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 5, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I've caught a couple of foul balls at minor league games......

Came close one time at a Sox game. I was at the game with my wife and I remember her asking if foul balls would come where we were sitting, which was pretty high up in the reserved lower deck at old Comiskey, beyond first base. I told her, I hope not because it would have to be a line shot.
Sure enough, late in the game Eric Soderholm hit a screamer that was coming right at us. As it passed under the upper deck and with people scrambling to get out of the way, I lost it for a second. By the time I saw it again it had nicked my wife in the head as she was trying to duck. Security made us go downstairs to check her for injury but she was fine. When we returned to our seats the boos reigned down on me and I took a real heckling from the assholes around us for the rest of the game. They were all telling her I moved my hands away when I saw it going at her. I didn’t have time to think of that…………….
I don’t know who ended up with the ball but a couple of inning later, an usher gave her one autographed by Soderholm.

by mick10 on Sep 4, 2009 2:51 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Odds are, the only way I’ll be getting a baseball at a game, is at the souvenir stand.

I’m an o-fer.

Yes. Hell yes. Mercy. Grab bench. - O.M.

by oahu420 on Sep 4, 2009 3:01 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

i got one in BP at wrigley

that al holland threw into the bleachers.
got a foul ball at indy when charlotte was playing the indians. aardsma pitched the ball i got but i don’t know who hit it.

hey rios, you need to cinch it up, hunker down, bow your neck, bristle up, and be any kind of hitter. you're making me look like an idiot.

by BuehrleMan on Sep 4, 2009 3:03 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

wreck'd.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 4, 2009 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Who the hell wanted a ball instead of blow?

What a peer group you had.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions   1 recs

I'm surprised how few balls this site has gotten their hands on

HSA’s job excluded of course.

I went to this game with 3 of my friends and my friend’s dad. I was psyched just going to the game as we were sitting in what are now called the scout’s seats. I think my friend’s dad got them through work or something. We were playing the Tigers. Scored 1 in the 8th to tie it up. Then one out, bottom of the ninth, up comes Joe Clutch himself. He fouled one back. It hit off the boards around where Hawk and DJ sit and came bounding towards my friends and me. As the ball got to us, I jumped just a little and snagged the ball. Hurt like a mofo but was totally worth it. Before the euphoria could even begin to wear off, Crede hit a walk-off homer on the very next pitch. And to make things even better, there were fireworks after the game!

by jeeves on Sep 4, 2009 4:08 PM CDT reply actions   1 recs

Fucker.

A real catch. Fortunately, it was a foul ball. Better than the pussy stories above, but still a foul ball.

Nordy, thanks for making us all feel like impotent assholes. Be sure to make another FanPost with the subject matter “Women I Never Successfully Slept With”, or “How I Lost My Job”. So we can all feel better about ourselves.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions   1 recs

Excellent, jeeves.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 4, 2009 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

just tremendous!

how much for the Tyler Flowers rookie card?

by Nordhagen on Sep 4, 2009 8:17 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I hate when they bounce the wrong way off the garbage cans.

haha! rec’d.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 5, 2009 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sadly, I've never had a foul ball land within 2 sections of me

...take your hobbit circle jerk to another thread
by larry on May 18, 2009 8:58 PM PDT

by rhythm on Sep 4, 2009 11:07 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Because Jesus hates you.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 5, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

when i was a little kid back in old comiskey

We were sitting upper deck 2nd row along one of the baselines, and a pop-up came right at us. The group in front of us got up to catch it, beer flying everywhere, but it fell through the guy’s hands and into the camera well that was kind of bolted on to the deck in front of the 1st row. The guy decided to climb down into that thing and retrieve the ball. Security didn’t take to kindly to that, so they came over and took the ball away from him. The security guard looked around, seeing I was the only little kid in the vicinity, and gave the ball to me.

When the security guard left, my dad told me to give the ball back to the guy. I think it was fair, as thinking back I sure wouldn’t want to climb down into one of those things. That’s the closest I’ve gotten to a foul ball.

I did catch a puck at a Wolves game once.

fucking dome

by vince_ on Sep 5, 2009 9:10 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Most of my seats have been along the line

When I see a bullet hit off the bat and Hawk say “WATCH OUT” on TV I’m very glad I’ve never had the opportunity to have my head caved in by a screaming liner down the 3rd base line. You’re never as aware of what’s going on in the game when you’re upper-deck compared to along a line.

by Pander on Sep 5, 2009 5:42 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Never saw the need to try and get one. It just isn't/wasn't a big deal to me.

That said, I’ve had several thrown to me by players pre-game, the first I can remember was by LaRussa when he was with the A’s. A couple by Reggie, one after the 3rd out in Milwaukee, another at the old park here.

I remember HSA and her sister bringing gloves to a game or two, but I never encouraged that. Only their awareness of every pitch and safety.

"Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand."

— Leo Durocher

by Chiburb on Sep 5, 2009 7:18 PM CDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

ha, I caught one

someone hooked me up with some nice seats, to the right from sox dugout towards behind the plate area, 15-20 rows back. Texas Rangers were in town (at the moment not sure what year it was, 2003-2005) and we were losing the game badly. Towards the end of the game Blalock (I think) hits one foul ball back, it hit the deck where broadcast commentators sit and bounced back right into my hands. It was pretty sweet, I still have it in my room.

Lupe, release the balloons!

by LT_sox_fan on Sep 5, 2009 8:44 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Nordy: Reclaiming The Right Rail !

Nice topic and responses.
Thanks.

"Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand."

— Leo Durocher

by Chiburb on Sep 6, 2009 6:28 AM CDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

its easier to catch a foul ball at a marlins game than a yankees game

If you dont like me please ignore me and my posts

The Pirates,Reds,Royals, and Padres are not major league teams

by angryandy on Sep 7, 2009 5:06 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Never caught a baseball, but...

I did catch a green girl’s Aeropostale T-Shirt from a t-shirt gun at the big east quarterfinals at MSG (I promptly gave it to a kid who then threw it away when he realized it was a girl’s shirt).
Also, I was in Cancun this past march and they had a promotion at the Club w/ Corona girls throwing stuff into the crowd. I timed my jump perfectly and snagged a pink Corona hat…I just like making plays whether it’s a HR ball or a shitty item.

by Q!'s Qrew on Sep 8, 2009 11:35 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Go to a softball game

apparently you’re great at catching girl’s stuff

by jeeves on Sep 9, 2009 3:03 AM CDT up reply actions   1 recs

marlins shoul move but where too baseball is pretty saturated . maybe Helena montana

If you dont like me please ignore me and my posts

The Pirates,Reds,Royals, and Padres are not major league teams

by angryandy on Sep 9, 2009 10:21 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

STFU, andy. Make an effort. To be cogent.

Once in awhile.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 9, 2009 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions   1 recs

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Today was a nice day to be out for a walk, look through the window of a restaurant at 2:30, and discover that the Sox started at noon.

by homesickalien on Sep 9, 2009 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

easy. vegas. now back to being on topic.

These events have me frightened and on the verge of evacuating my bowels.

by thatshortkid on Sep 9, 2009 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

In my many years of attending games, I have caught a total of 1.

It was probably 10 years ago, in the lovely 500 level, foul ball hit directly back behind home. It bounced off my buddy’s chest and I snagged it. He claimed ownership, but I told him to take a hike, as it was my first (and turns out to be my last so far) MLB ball.

Also…at a Sox/Cubs ST game at Ho Ho Kam, some Cub gave my kid a foul ball. I had her spit on it and throw it at the guy (kidding).

If you just want to impress your kid, take them to a minor league game and either pop for front seats down the line (lots of foul rollers there) or an even better move is to hang out on the concourses. The minor leaguers hit plenty of foul balls just ripe for the taking. With smaller crowds, your odds are much better.

"One more game and then we can blow this son of a b@#$* up!" - Hawk Harrelson on his thoughts regarding the Metrodome

by tailgater on Sep 9, 2009 1:15 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Because you have no hands is why you have only one.

We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.

by winningugly on Sep 9, 2009 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

no

cuz he only has one friend that will take one in the chest for him…if you become a politician gater, make him head of security

by jeeves on Sep 9, 2009 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Politicians are subject to background checks...thus I will never be a politician.

"One more game and then we can blow this son of a b@#$* up!" - Hawk Harrelson on his thoughts regarding the Metrodome

by tailgater on Sep 9, 2009 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

How did you know I have no hands?

Having to use the bathroon at The Cell is when you really find out who your friends are.

"One more game and then we can blow this son of a b@#$* up!" - Hawk Harrelson on his thoughts regarding the Metrodome

by tailgater on Sep 9, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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