Blog: Rays fan told to give homerun ball back

Thursday, September 24, 2009

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Jose Lopez hits his 25th homerun of the year.

By Kelli Malafronte
BayNews9.com staff

An interesting thing happened Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

My brother Sean got a home run ball hit by Jose Lopez of the Seattle Mariners. He was told he'd have to give it back.

I purchased outfield tickets for us because that's where Sean likes to sit. In a hypothetical situation, I could have seats right behind home plate and he'd still opt for the bleachers.

Since most people can't remember names I've made up short descriptions for my four brothers. There's the army doctor who's married, the engaged brother who lives in Miami, and the actor who lives in NYC. Sean is known as the brother who catches homerun balls and plays football.

Sean gladly goes to games solo but my dad decided to make the trip with him from Orlando. My brother would usually just stay with me but since it was the two of them they got a hotel in downtown St. Pete for the night.

We were a few rows up behind the railing in left field.

"Nice seats, Kel," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

His seat was missing one of the arm rests. I thought it was funny. He really didn't care. He just likes to give me a hard time.

Fast-forward to the eighth inning. The game was tied. I was halfway through my chocolate and vanilla Dippin' Dots.

A ball looked like it was coming straight at us.

When a ball is hit into the stands, fans typically do one of two things: assume the position: duck, shield and try to get out of the way (me) or go after it (Sean).

He favors aisle seats for this purpose. He doesn't like when games are too crowded. He loves empty rows. It allows him to move freely should a moment like this arise.

The ball went over our heads.

Oh well, I thought. Sean probably wishes I had gotten seats up there.

I turned to my left and Sean's seat was empty. I should've known.

"A guy missed the ball. It bounced off a seat and rolled. No one went after it," he later explained to me.

Sean came back to the seat smiling. The ball was in his glove.

A few rows back a woman said, "You sure got out of your seat fast."

My brother, Sean (blue shirt, right side of picture) sets his sights on the ball.

Sean thought it was a compliment. He was about to say thanks.

Then she said, "You should have stayed in it. You're an (expletive.) Those guys had it. "

She was quickly scolded by a fan host standing nearby.

Sean loves games at the Trop. During the years he played football in Ohio, I'd only get to see him two times a year: for Christmas and when he stayed at my place for a week during the summer. I really never saw him much during that week unless I went to a Rays game with him. His first love though is the Mets.

He's gotten to know some of the fan hosts and some of the security guards. Some of the players will even remember him.

His favorite is Carlos Pena. He got one of his homerun balls this season. It's his only Pena homerun ball. Sean stayed late after the game to get the ball signed. Pena signed on the sweet spot.

After Sean sat down a fan host standing nearby said, "I think they're gonna want that ball back."

Moments later, a few Rays security guys surrounded Sean. The first thing a guy with a walkie said was," Seattle wants the ball back. You have to give it back."

You could hear people saying, "Give the ball back. You'll get something for it."

Sean knows the rules. He shook his head no. He said he was keeping it. He didn't want anything for it.

Coincidently, Sean had just caught a Lopez homer last month on Cleveland's homerun porch. No one asked for the ball back then. The catch was shown on MLB.com highlights. The anchor even gave Sean props, and Sean posted the links on his Facebook page.

He didn't get why Lopez would want this ball anyway. It was his 25th homerun of the year.

The security guy then said he could get it signed for him.

The answer was still no. Sean couldn't be swayed. He wasn't giving the ball up.

Sean said the same thing happened at a game last year with an Evan Longoria homerun ball. Security said Longoria wanted it back. Sean said no then too. They could get it signed for him. Fearing the old switcheroo, Sean said no again. He later waited after the game and asked Longoria if he really wanted the ball back. He didn't. He eventually got it signed.

Security asked again for the ball.

"I don't have to give it back. I paid for my seat and I'm keeping it," he repeatedly told them.

Technically, I paid for the seat but he's still right on the first count.

Tropicana Field's rules state "fans may keep any baseballs hit into the stands."

A uniformed Pinellas County deputy arrived.

"You'll have to come with me," he said, taking Sean by the arm.

Sean likes to sit in the outfield. He's pictured here at a game last year.

Sean complied. My dad followed them out of the row and out of sight.

The section booed.

I sat in my seat thinking we were getting kicked out. They were my ride home!

I turned to my friend said "let's go."

I scooped up my dad's bag, lemonade, my purse and ice cream and made my way to the hallway.

There they were: the officer, still holding Sean's arm, my dad, and at least several security guys in a circle.

We wedged our way in.

Sean was trying to explain he just wanted to keep the ball. He had every right to keep the ball. My dad agreed.

"Keep running your mouth," the officer said.

Sean asked if he was being arrested.

The deputy explained he wasn't in handcuffs. He might have to call his sergeant though. Sean may have to go down to the office.

For whatever reason, the same guy that originally told Sean he had to give the ball back got off his walkie and said we could go. The Rays never said why they wanted the ball.

The officer released Sean and we made our way through the tunnel and back to a crowd with mixed reactions.

Sean thought they were 75-percent in his favor. I noticed the rest of my ice cream had melted.

"Did you keep the ball?" they all wanted to know.

The ball was safely in Sean's Rays backpack. He now had 12 homerun balls in his collection.

Fans stopped by us on the way out asking what happened. Yeah, he kept the ball. Some gave him high fives.

My brother doesn't sell the balls he catches or gets signed on Ebay. He doesn't even display them in nice cases. On the ball, he writes the name of the player, the date, and what # homerun it was for that particular player. He uses whatever pen is laying around.

Sean may not be a kid anymore, but he's a kid at heart.

Before the game starts, he gives batting practice balls he catches to kids. Their faces light up. Their parents say thanks. They appreciate it.

Some would think all this trouble for a homerun ball wouldn't be worth it.

"It's just a ball," sighed a lady behind us, shaking her head. "I don't see what the big deal is."

The man she was with just told her to "stay out of it."

"It's just my opinion," the woman shrugged.

The whole hoopla didn't ruin Sean's night. He'll be back at the Trop again Wednesday night with one exception.

"I'll probably sit in right field this time," he said.

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