ballcatchers.com
A home run is perfect.
A home run is a gift.
A home run is history.
And sometimes history picks you.
A home run is a gift.
A home run is history.
And sometimes history picks you.
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661st career home run, passing Willie Mays' career total
Who Caught the Ball?
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What's the Story?
Albert Pujols made history once again by hitting his 661st career home run, surpassing Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. This significant milestone was achieved with a solo drive to left field off a 1-2 fastball from Texas Rangers pitcher Wes Benjamin. The ball landed in the Rangers' bullpen, sealing Pujols' place as one of the greatest power hitters in baseball history.As Pujols rounded the bases, he pointed to the dugout and did a fist pump upon reaching third base, celebrating the momentous occasion with his teammates. |
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660th career home run, tying Willie Mays' career total
Who Caught the Ball?
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What's the Story?
On September 18, 2020, Albert Pujols hit his 660th career home run, tying Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. The milestone homer came in the eighth inning with the Angels trailing 3-2. Pujols launched a fastball from Colorado Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez into the empty left-field seats at Coors Field for a two-run drive, giving the Angels the lead.Due to the absence of fans, the ball was easily retrieved from the stands, ensuring its safekeeping. Pujols decided to keep the ball as a personal memento, while his bat was given to third-base coach Brian Butterfield, a dedicated Mays fan. |
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2019 World Series, Game 7:
gave the Nationals the lead
Who Caught the Ball?
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What's the Story?
On October 30, 2019, Howie Kendrick delivered a pivotal home run in Game 7 of the World Series against the Houston Astros. Trailing by a run in the seventh inning, Kendrick hit a dramatic two-run home run off Astros pitcher Will Harris. The ball clanged off the right-field foul pole at Minute Maid Park, sending a shockwave through the stadium and giving the Nationals the lead.The home run not only silenced one of the loudest atmospheres in baseball but also played a crucial role in the Nationals' eventual 6-2 victory, securing their first World Series title in franchise history. The ball bounced back onto the field and hit Houston outfielder George Springer's leg before being retrieved. |
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2019 World Series, Game 5:
made Jeff Adams an instant celebrity for Bud Light
Who Caught the Ball?
Jeff Adams
Washington, DC
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What's the Story?
During Game 5 of the 2019 World Series, Yordan Álvarez of the Houston Astros hit a home run that made Jeff Adams an instant celebrity for Bud Light. The ball was hit towards Adams as he was returning to his seat with two Bud Lights in hand. Wearing a tattered Nationals cap and a weathered Nationals T-shirt, Adams used his chest to stop the ball, which deflected to the ground without spilling his beers. The moment was captured on live TV and quickly went viral.Adams recounted the event, crediting his lucky 15-year-old Nationals cap and his little league coach for his quick reaction. "He taught me how to put my chest in front of a ball and let it bounce in front of me," Adams said. Despite the hit, Adams felt no pain, saying, "It’s a World Series baseball. I didn’t feel anything." Bud Light's marketing team, recognizing the potential of this viral moment, swiftly moved to capitalize on Adams' fame. They tweeted, "This man is a hero. Twitter please figure out who this guy is so we can reward him. #WorldSeries," and quickly created a custom "Always Save The Beers" shirt for Adams. Adams was flown to Houston for Game 6, where he wore the custom shirt. Bud Light aired a 15-second ad featuring Adams during the game, with the caption, "Pain is temporary, glory is forever." They also covered his tickets and expenses for Game 7. After the Nationals' victory in Game 7, Bud Light released another commercial celebrating Adams, acknowledging his role as a good luck charm. Marketing experts estimated the "beer guy" moment was worth $8 million in exposure for Bud Light, highlighting the power of viral events in advertising. |
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2019 ALCS, Game 6:
won the AL pennant for the Houston Astros
Who Caught the Ball?
Brett Gardner
36, New York Yankees |
What's the Story?
In Game 6 of the 2019 American League Championship Series, Jose Altuve hit a dramatic home run to secure the AL pennant for the Houston Astros. With a 2-1 count and 2 outs, Altuve connected off an 84 mph hanging slider from Aroldis Chapman.The ball bounced off the left field facade and back onto the field, where Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner picked it up. He handed it to Houston bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte, saying, “Here, take this. You guys are a great team. Now go win the World Series. Represent the American League well.” Bracamonte, deeply moved by Gardner's gesture and a hug from Aaron Judge, gave the ball to an MLB authenticator before joining his teammates in their celebration. |
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2019 NLDS, Game 5:
grand slam gives Washington the lead and eventual NLDS win
Who Caught the Ball?
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What's the Story?
On October 9, 2019, Howie Kendrick hit a monumental grand slam in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This game-changing hit came off Joe Kelly's 0-1 pitch in the top of the 10th inning, sending the ball over the center field wall and breaking a tie. Kendrick's grand slam ultimately led the Washington Nationals to a 7-3 victory, marking their first playoff series win and advancing them to the NLCS for the first time in Nationals history.The ball cleared the fence and landed in the space between the wall and the stands, just behind a photographer. The specific fate of the ball is unknown, but it was presumably retrieved by stadium officials. This grand slam is often considered the biggest hit in Nationals' franchise history, solidifying Kendrick's place in the team's lore. |
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600th career home run
Who Caught the Ball?
Scotty Steffel
23, student at California State University-Fullerton Costa Mesa, California
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What's the Story?
Albert Pujols made history on June 3, 2017, by hitting his 600th career home run, a grand slam to the short left-field porch at Angel Stadium. This towering blast came off an 87 mph slider from Twins pitcher Ervin Santana on a 1-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.Pujols became the first player to hit a grand slam for his 600th home run, joining an exclusive club as the ninth member and the fourth youngest, behind only Alex Rodriguez, Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth. After a scramble in the seats, Scotty Steffel emerged with the historic ball. Steffel, attending the game with his father and brother, had also been present at the game where Pujols hit his 599th home run. During the top of the 6th inning, Steffel joined Victor Rojas and Mark Gubicza in the Fox Sports broadcast booth to share his excitement and the story of catching the ball. Following the game, Pujols was interviewed on the field, where Steffel presented him with the ball and received a heartfelt hug in return. |
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2015 ALDS, Game 5:
home run leads to famous bat flip and gives Toronto the lead and eventual win
Who Caught the Ball?
Jeff Byma
31, cabinet maker Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
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What's the Story?
During Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series, Jose Bautista hit a dramatic three-run home run off Sam Dyson. The blast gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-3 lead over the Texas Rangers, leading to their victory in the series. This moment became famous for Bautista's emphatic bat flip, a gesture that sparked widespread discussion and controversy in baseball circles.The ball bounced off the second deck and landed near Jeff Byma in Section 138. Byma quickly retrieved the ball from beneath his seat amidst a frantic scramble. He described the moment: "It hits the wall above us, comes down right to my feet and I just jumped on it. As soon as I saw it come down near my feet, I went for it. Hands and knees on the ground, under my seat. Picked it up and it was amazing. I gripped it. I couldn't believe it. I hugged my girlfriend right away [we were] screaming at the top of our lungs. It was unbelievable." Despite the ball's significant value, Byma expressed his willingness to return it to Bautista. He said, "It's probably his biggest hit of his career, so if he wants it, I'll be happy to hand it over to him. I'd love to at least meet him and shake his hand and congratulate him on his home run and return it to him." Byma did not demand any compensation but mentioned he would accept any gifts or game tickets offered by Bautista or the Blue Jays. In the following days, Byma received various offers from fans, ranging from $8,500 to a pick-up truck. However, Byma kept the ball for approximately two years before deciding to sell it to a private collector. In January 2019, the ball was announced for auction by Lelands, with an estimated value of at least $8,000. On February 2, 2019, the ball sold for $28,252.80 to an anonymous bidder. |
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500th career home run
Who Caught the Ball?
Alan Schuster
35, web developer VA
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What's the Story?
On September 12, 2015, David Ortiz achieved a significant milestone by hitting his 500th career home run during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Leading off the fifth inning with a 2-2 count, Ortiz launched an 80 mph breaking ball from pitcher Matt Moore deep into the right-center-field seats. Moore stepped off the mound and watched as the ball sailed into the stands.A fan from Virginia, wearing an Orioles shirt, caught the historic home run ball. The fan, who initially chose to remain anonymous, was escorted out of the stands after the ball was authenticated. Later, he met Ortiz and handed over the ball. "He was very nice. He handed it to me, no problem," Ortiz said. "I really appreciate it. We had a very nice package for him." Ortiz respected the fan's desire for privacy, appreciating his wish to stay anonymous. However, Alan Schuster later came forward as the fan who caught the ball. He gave the ball to Ortiz that night in exchange for some undisclosed "perks" from the Red Sox. Schuster chose to keep the details of the exchange private, maintaining an air of mystery around the transaction. |
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Who Caught the Ball?
Zack Hample
37, sportswriter New York, NY
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What's the Story?
On June 19, 2015, Alex Rodriguez hit his 3000th career hit with a solo home run in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium. The ball landed in the right-field seats and was caught by Zack Hample, a well-known baseball collector who has snagged more than 8,000 baseballs across 51 major league stadiums since 1990.Hample, sitting in the right-field seats, caught the historic home run ball and initially expressed his intention to keep it, citing that players like Rodriguez, who have earned significant sums in their careers, don't need favors from fans. He mentioned that while he would consider offers from the Yankees, he did not plan to give the ball back just for memorabilia or a chance to meet Rodriguez. Yankees officials, including head of security Eddie Fastook, president Randy Levine, and COO Lonn Trost, attempted to negotiate with Hample, but he remained reluctant to part with the ball. Rodriguez, acknowledging the situation, humorously referenced the fan who eagerly returned Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit ball in 2011, expressing a wish for a similar scenario but ultimately stating that personal achievements don't compare to team victories like the 2009 championship. After two weeks of negotiations, the Yankees agreed to donate $150,000 to Pitch In For Baseball, a charity supported by Hample that helps underserved communities afford to play baseball. Hample also received some memorabilia, tickets, and other perks from the Yankees. This generous offer led Hample to reconsider and ultimately decide to return the ball. At a Yankee Stadium news conference, Hample presented the ball to Rodriguez, apologizing for any negative comments he had made earlier. Rodriguez, grateful and forgiving, accepted the ball and mentioned his intention to give it to his daughters. |