iowa49erfan
06-16-2010, 08:56 AM
For Major League Baseball’s first century, especially the first fifty years or so, it was a rare sight.
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/gameusedball.jpg (http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/gameusedball.jpg)A player or ballboy handing over a ball that had just been in play. Fans asked, but were seldom rewarded unless, of course, they caught a foul ball or one that was hit for a home run.
Baseball teams were notorious for watching their pennies. A ball that went home with a fan or collector was money down the drain.
At least that’s how they used to look at things.
No more.
It’s become a goodwill gesture, spawned in part by the 1994 strike when the powers that be asked players to be more fan friendly. Handing over game-used balls was an easy way to do it.
The New York Daily News goes inside the freebie free-for-all. (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2010/06/15/2010-06-15_having_a_ball.html)
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/getcher-free-game-used-baseballs-here/
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/gameusedball.jpg (http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/gameusedball.jpg)A player or ballboy handing over a ball that had just been in play. Fans asked, but were seldom rewarded unless, of course, they caught a foul ball or one that was hit for a home run.
Baseball teams were notorious for watching their pennies. A ball that went home with a fan or collector was money down the drain.
At least that’s how they used to look at things.
No more.
It’s become a goodwill gesture, spawned in part by the 1994 strike when the powers that be asked players to be more fan friendly. Handing over game-used balls was an easy way to do it.
The New York Daily News goes inside the freebie free-for-all. (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2010/06/15/2010-06-15_having_a_ball.html)
http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/getcher-free-game-used-baseballs-here/