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5 Easy Tips to Help You Snag a Free Baseball at a Game

baseballsnag

How often have you gone to a baseball game hoping to catch a ball that goes into the stands? It’s not as hard as it seems, says Zack Hample, author of “How to Snag Major League Baseballs.”

Hample has snagged more than 12,000 baseballs at different Major League stadiums across North America. Here are his top five tips for getting one:

1. Arrive early

Teams warm up one to two hours before the game, so be the first person in the gate. You’ll have fewer people to compete with for foul or home-run balls, and you’ll occasionally find balls already lying in the seats when you arrive.

2. Sit on the aisle

You’ll need to move around to increase your chances. “Don’t get trapped in the middle of a long row. You need to be able to jump up and move,” Hample says.

3. Play the percentages

Check out the rosters ahead of time, so you know how many right- and left-handed batters there will be. Most right-handed batters will hit foul balls to the first-base side; left-handed batters, to the third-base side. Pick a seat in the stadium accordingly.

4. Ask politely

When teams are warming up, they’ll often throw balls to their fans in the stands. “And players love to throw balls to kids,” Hample says.

5. Buy a hat for each team that’s playing

Players on the road love to spot their fans and will often reward them by throwing them a ball. Change your hat according to who’s in the field.

For more tips, check out Hample’s website at www.zackhample.com.

61 Comments on 5 Easy Tips to Help You Snag a Free Baseball at a Game

  1. Go to where a team practices before a game. That worked for me, at least.

  2. GO NATIONALS!!!

  3. GO DODGERS!

  4. Go TWINS!!!!!

  5. go cubbies

  6. uncle henry // March 20, 2017 at 9:16 am // Reply

    PHILLIES!

  7. GO ROCKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. awesome sauce // November 24, 2016 at 3:12 pm // Reply

    caught 2 balls once at a minor league game

  9. Go Astros!

  10. Crazy COwbow // March 21, 2016 at 6:52 pm // Reply

    Go Rangers

  11. go as and Yankees

  12. Baseball King⚾️ // June 18, 2015 at 12:45 pm // Reply

    I live in Atlanta! GO BRAVES!!!!!!!

  13. GO TIGERS!!!!!

  14. GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!

  15. don’t buy a hat for each team that’s being a traitor

  16. baseball12 // May 27, 2014 at 7:27 pm // Reply

    To bad Turner field is closing down this year

  17. I caught one right behind home plate .Ops almost forgot to say GO CARDNALS

  18. Captain America // July 31, 2013 at 4:28 pm // Reply

    Rangers are the best

  19. I almost cought 5 baseballs in Rogers Center (Blue Jays) but we dropped them because we were in right field. Don’t go on a day they are vs. the White Sox the fan yell Rios a lot.
    GO WHITE SOX

  20. I caught a ball once, mostly out of pure luck. i am going to try these tips next time though

  21. True that. I haven’t en en gotten one ball in yankee stadium!

  22. My son got a ball from dodgers stadium from Steve Cishek (a Miami Marlins player). They were practicing and my husband asked him for a ball since it was my sons first game. He handed one to us but first, he asked us to mess with him team player by screaming “Crying Wabby”. It was all in fun. My son getting a ball at his first game will always be something I remember.

  23. It helps if you know the player you want to get an autograph from. My Uncle played Baseball with Randy Win in High School so he gave us autographs. He would not sign for anyone else, though. It really helps if you have connections.

  24. Go Pawtucket Red Sox

  25. LETS GO METS

  26. I live in Atlanta and caught 10 baseballs

  27. go red sox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  28. cooldude6564 // April 22, 2012 at 5:50 am // Reply

    yo! What about a butterfly net?

  29. What about Nationals Park? What’s a good area for that?

  30. #1 baseball fan // March 31, 2012 at 7:50 pm // Reply

    Red Sox are AWESOME!!!!

  31. i caught a ball from Tigers vs. White Sox

  32. FOOTBALL FAN // October 28, 2011 at 1:51 pm // Reply

    i have been to an Astros game but i was to far up to catch a ball

  33. at a AAA game the bullpen through me a ball the kids got to run the bases and I got it signed!

  34. I got one at a AAA game. It bounced off the scoreboard!

  35. Milwaukee Brewers have a pretty good stadium to catch baseballs. I have a friend who has gotten, lets see, 5 of them!

  36. Trainline240 // December 30, 2010 at 5:04 pm // Reply

    Try bringing a well-broken in glove. It’s a lot easier than bare-handed or the ‘ol hat catch.

  37. lets go Ohio or rat // December 3, 2010 at 4:45 pm // Reply

    Thanks the tips. I go to a lot of minor league baseball games and have caught a lot of balls.

  38. i egree

  39. im going to an oriles game on the 30 im sure those tips will come in handy and i hope to catch one from felix pie

  40. i caught 4 in the last game i went to

  41. just caught a kelly shoppach 1st grand slam ball at tropicana field

  42. white sox are the very best

  43. i caught millions at oroiles games

  44. MANGOS12345 // July 26, 2010 at 3:55 pm // Reply

    I’VE BEEN TO MINITE MAIDE A LOT AND I’VE CAUGHT ABOUT 6 BASEBALLS INCLUDING ONE THAT CRAIG BIGGIO HIT

  45. canadian scout // July 13, 2010 at 11:34 pm // Reply

    toronto blue jays rock!!!!!!=)

  46. canadian scout // July 13, 2010 at 11:31 pm // Reply

    i caught a jays ball in toronto eh

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