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Interesting Article on "Ballhawks"
thunderdan
Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭
I never knew what a "ballhawk" was....until now. Very interesting piece on the front page of today's WSJ.
By DAVID BIDERMAN
In May, Florida Marlins rookie Chris Coghlan realized an American dream, his first major-league home run.
The rude awakening came quickly when it landed in the glove of Nick Yohanek, a professional "ballhawk."
A Night at the Game
Ballhawks go to games with the intention of grabbing any ball that goes in the stands, especially milestone home runs like a player's first or 500th. Most then refuse to give them back to the player unless he coughs up something valuable in return, from a signed bat or a jersey to up to $10,000. This breed of sophisticated collector now appears more determined than ever, stalking everyone from rookies like Mr. Coghlan to veteran stars such as Ken Griffey Jr.
When Marlins official Marty Sewell asked Mr. Yohanek to return Mr. Coghlan's ball, Mr. Yohanek said he asked for a bat and a ball signed by Mr. Coghlan plus a signed bat from Marlins star shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Mr. Coghlan had no idea there was such a thing as a ballhawk and was surprised by the intensity of the negotiations. Mr. Yohanek "wasn't the most polite or respectful guy about the whole process," Mr. Coghlan told the Palm Beach Post. "He told me he goes around a lot and catches these balls and holds them for ransom."
For his part, Mr. Yohanek says, "I knew I'd be able to ask for something in return....I wasn't going to give the ball away for nothing."
One weapon in the ballhawk's arsenal is research: which players are on the verge of landmark home runs, where they're likely to hit them based on which side of the plate they hit from, the dimensions of the ballpark and even details about the opposing pitcher. Mr. Yohanek, a 30-year-old law-enforcement officer in Milwaukee, updates a "milestone tracker" on his Web site (www.happyyoungster.com/milestone_tracker) so he and other ballhawks know which players to track.
Mr. Yohanek says he has caught 50 home-run balls since 1998. He has caught a few milestone balls, including Geoff Jenkins' 200th and Jeromy Burnitz's 100th, but says he has never traded them for anything more than signed bats, balls or tickets.
Fans who catch a ball in the stands have a right to keep it. In the past, when a player or team wanted a ball back, they'd find the fan who caught it and offer a handshake with a big leaguer and a different autographed ball in return. Team officials, however, say a boom in the sports-memorabilia business has caused fans who catch important balls to think they won the lottery.
After Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run in the 1998 season, Philip Ozersky, the man who caught it, got $3 million for it at auction. Before that, the most expensive ball ever auctioned was the first homer in the old Yankee Stadium, hit by Babe Ruth; it brought $126,500, according to Sports Collectors Digest.
There have been several cases of disputes between fans claiming ownership. When Barry Bonds was obliterating home-run records in the early 2000s, lawsuits erupted among fans over the ownership of his 73rd in a single season and the 700th of his career. This helped spur Major League Baseball's decision to employ two memorabilia authenticators at every park.
In San Diego last year, Adam Dunn, then an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds, smashed his 250th homer. Tracy Collins, a self-described ballhawk and newspaper salesman, grabbed it. When a Cincinnati Reds representative came to him in the stands to ask for it back, Mr. Collins said he wanted Mr. Dunn to give him a signed ball. Mr. Collins said he was told the slugger wasn't available, so he didn't surrender it until he got a ball from Mr. Griffey, a Reds player at the time.
A Reds spokesman, Rob Butcher, doesn't remember that occasion, but said fans would "frequently" catch milestone balls and refuse to relinquish them until they got something signed by Mr. Griffey, regardless of who actually hit them. He said Mr. Dunn was always willing to sign items, no matter the circumstance.
A spokesman with Mr. Dunn's current team, the Washington Nationals, said the slugger doesn't remember the ball standoff. But when the fan who caught Mr. Dunn's 300th home run last week offered it back to the slugger for free, Mr. Dunn gave him a signed jersey, three signed balls and tickets for later games.
"Sometimes when they catch a valuable ball, the money is the important thing," said Mr. Griffey.
Joe Scherer, a fan from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., caught Mr. Griffey's 600th home run last year in Florida, but wouldn't hand it over. He got $42,000 for it in an auction, adding he sold it because he was strapped for cash. Mr. Scherer "wanted a few things that were out of hand," Mr. Griffey said, without giving specifics.
The record-breaking balls make headlines, but it's the lesser-known milestones that the ballhawks make a killing on. By tracking players' home run totals and where they hit them, ballhawks snatch balls that most fans don't realize are valuable.
In 2008 against the Marlins in Oakland, then-Athletics rookie Carlos Gonzalez, who had reached the majors just three weeks earlier, hit his first career dinger. Tom Snyder, a ballhawk, nabbed it. A 24-year-old from Northern California who's been hawking for about 12 years, Mr. Snyder thought he could get a jersey and two signed bats for his friend and brother in a swap for the ball.
An Oakland official, Bob Rose, said the team turned down the jersey request, saying uniforms take too long to replace. Mr. Rose said Mr. Snyder then asked for $10,000. When that was shot down, Mr. Snyder left with the ball before handing it over about a week later for a signed photo of himself with Mr. Gonzalez.
"I had nothing against him, I just really wanted a jersey and a couple bats," Mr. Snyder said. Added Mr. Rose: "We're not in the business of intense negotiations."
Mr. Yohanek says he gives away about half of the non-homers he reels in. He has season tickets in Milwaukee and moves around from section-to-section during games to get in premium position to catch balls. He is a charter member of the Ballhawk League, which formed this year. It has more than a dozen members, with competitors angling to top each other in total balls caught.
Zack Hample, 31, a New York City writer, says he has been to 46 stadiums and caught balls in every one, keeping most for his personal collection. He flew to Miami and Philadelphia last year to chase Mr. Griffey when he was on the cusp of 600. He charges hawk-hopefuls $500 to attend games with him, and said he averages a couple of clients a month.
Yet he's never grabbed a ball a player wanted back. "But I already know a couple things I'd ask for," he says. "We're already talking about A-Rod's 800th home run."
Write to David Biderman at David.Biderman@wsj.com
By DAVID BIDERMAN
In May, Florida Marlins rookie Chris Coghlan realized an American dream, his first major-league home run.
The rude awakening came quickly when it landed in the glove of Nick Yohanek, a professional "ballhawk."
A Night at the Game
Ballhawks go to games with the intention of grabbing any ball that goes in the stands, especially milestone home runs like a player's first or 500th. Most then refuse to give them back to the player unless he coughs up something valuable in return, from a signed bat or a jersey to up to $10,000. This breed of sophisticated collector now appears more determined than ever, stalking everyone from rookies like Mr. Coghlan to veteran stars such as Ken Griffey Jr.
When Marlins official Marty Sewell asked Mr. Yohanek to return Mr. Coghlan's ball, Mr. Yohanek said he asked for a bat and a ball signed by Mr. Coghlan plus a signed bat from Marlins star shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Mr. Coghlan had no idea there was such a thing as a ballhawk and was surprised by the intensity of the negotiations. Mr. Yohanek "wasn't the most polite or respectful guy about the whole process," Mr. Coghlan told the Palm Beach Post. "He told me he goes around a lot and catches these balls and holds them for ransom."
For his part, Mr. Yohanek says, "I knew I'd be able to ask for something in return....I wasn't going to give the ball away for nothing."
One weapon in the ballhawk's arsenal is research: which players are on the verge of landmark home runs, where they're likely to hit them based on which side of the plate they hit from, the dimensions of the ballpark and even details about the opposing pitcher. Mr. Yohanek, a 30-year-old law-enforcement officer in Milwaukee, updates a "milestone tracker" on his Web site (www.happyyoungster.com/milestone_tracker) so he and other ballhawks know which players to track.
Mr. Yohanek says he has caught 50 home-run balls since 1998. He has caught a few milestone balls, including Geoff Jenkins' 200th and Jeromy Burnitz's 100th, but says he has never traded them for anything more than signed bats, balls or tickets.
Fans who catch a ball in the stands have a right to keep it. In the past, when a player or team wanted a ball back, they'd find the fan who caught it and offer a handshake with a big leaguer and a different autographed ball in return. Team officials, however, say a boom in the sports-memorabilia business has caused fans who catch important balls to think they won the lottery.
After Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run in the 1998 season, Philip Ozersky, the man who caught it, got $3 million for it at auction. Before that, the most expensive ball ever auctioned was the first homer in the old Yankee Stadium, hit by Babe Ruth; it brought $126,500, according to Sports Collectors Digest.
There have been several cases of disputes between fans claiming ownership. When Barry Bonds was obliterating home-run records in the early 2000s, lawsuits erupted among fans over the ownership of his 73rd in a single season and the 700th of his career. This helped spur Major League Baseball's decision to employ two memorabilia authenticators at every park.
In San Diego last year, Adam Dunn, then an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds, smashed his 250th homer. Tracy Collins, a self-described ballhawk and newspaper salesman, grabbed it. When a Cincinnati Reds representative came to him in the stands to ask for it back, Mr. Collins said he wanted Mr. Dunn to give him a signed ball. Mr. Collins said he was told the slugger wasn't available, so he didn't surrender it until he got a ball from Mr. Griffey, a Reds player at the time.
A Reds spokesman, Rob Butcher, doesn't remember that occasion, but said fans would "frequently" catch milestone balls and refuse to relinquish them until they got something signed by Mr. Griffey, regardless of who actually hit them. He said Mr. Dunn was always willing to sign items, no matter the circumstance.
A spokesman with Mr. Dunn's current team, the Washington Nationals, said the slugger doesn't remember the ball standoff. But when the fan who caught Mr. Dunn's 300th home run last week offered it back to the slugger for free, Mr. Dunn gave him a signed jersey, three signed balls and tickets for later games.
"Sometimes when they catch a valuable ball, the money is the important thing," said Mr. Griffey.
Joe Scherer, a fan from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., caught Mr. Griffey's 600th home run last year in Florida, but wouldn't hand it over. He got $42,000 for it in an auction, adding he sold it because he was strapped for cash. Mr. Scherer "wanted a few things that were out of hand," Mr. Griffey said, without giving specifics.
The record-breaking balls make headlines, but it's the lesser-known milestones that the ballhawks make a killing on. By tracking players' home run totals and where they hit them, ballhawks snatch balls that most fans don't realize are valuable.
In 2008 against the Marlins in Oakland, then-Athletics rookie Carlos Gonzalez, who had reached the majors just three weeks earlier, hit his first career dinger. Tom Snyder, a ballhawk, nabbed it. A 24-year-old from Northern California who's been hawking for about 12 years, Mr. Snyder thought he could get a jersey and two signed bats for his friend and brother in a swap for the ball.
An Oakland official, Bob Rose, said the team turned down the jersey request, saying uniforms take too long to replace. Mr. Rose said Mr. Snyder then asked for $10,000. When that was shot down, Mr. Snyder left with the ball before handing it over about a week later for a signed photo of himself with Mr. Gonzalez.
"I had nothing against him, I just really wanted a jersey and a couple bats," Mr. Snyder said. Added Mr. Rose: "We're not in the business of intense negotiations."
Mr. Yohanek says he gives away about half of the non-homers he reels in. He has season tickets in Milwaukee and moves around from section-to-section during games to get in premium position to catch balls. He is a charter member of the Ballhawk League, which formed this year. It has more than a dozen members, with competitors angling to top each other in total balls caught.
Zack Hample, 31, a New York City writer, says he has been to 46 stadiums and caught balls in every one, keeping most for his personal collection. He flew to Miami and Philadelphia last year to chase Mr. Griffey when he was on the cusp of 600. He charges hawk-hopefuls $500 to attend games with him, and said he averages a couple of clients a month.
Yet he's never grabbed a ball a player wanted back. "But I already know a couple things I'd ask for," he says. "We're already talking about A-Rod's 800th home run."
Write to David Biderman at David.Biderman@wsj.com
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Comments
I think the right thing to do is obviously give the ball back, at the same time, I think the player should voluntarily give the fan a nice item in return. I view foul and HR balls as the property of whomever ends up with them. It's the fans that pay to be there, its the fans who have interest in the memorabilia, and it's the fans that allow for the gross compensation of the players who are already getting their just desserts. Players can complain that fans are making money off of their likenesses and signatures, but their gross salaries are, in large part, directly proportionate to the value of their memorabilia. It may not be my personal style, but I could care less in the end. The players are just fine without getting their way.
>>
To imply that these ballhawks are greedy is laughable considering what ballplayers make these days. I tend to agree with you. I have no problem with fans trying to sell the ball back to the player or organization for either money or memorabilia.
Edited to add: I do think it is pretty cool to catch a HR ball or a foul ball. I've come close a few times. Here's my "Im Happy For You" moment. Once Jerry Manual (Then White Sox manager) tossed me a ball. I was happy for a second and then gave it to a little kid wearing a Jose Valentine jersey. That young man had dedication!
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If you ever watch replays of HRs now its a scrum in the stands, especially a good player's HR ball.
To me tracking HRs, where they land and moving around the stadium based on who's at the plate is way too much work for something that supposed to be fun and relaxing. Just think if they applied themselves to something productive they might not have to cash in on foul balls.
Again, next time I'm at a game and some "ballhawk" jumps over my back and lands in my lap trying to grab a HR or foul I might have to leave the game with one of his balls.
I'm not saying ballhawks are across the board nice people, in some cases yes in some cases no. I'm just saying that I find a touch of irony that this article was implying that ballhawks are driven by greed while completely ignoring how much greed exists among highly compensated players and teams (whose salaries are paid from ticket sales to fans--including ballhawks).
After the game, they went to the field, but ushers would not let them on. The rookie walked over, said "thanks", handed them a signed photo and walked away. That was it.
So the husband was so upset he cancelled his season tix.
True story.
Also, Nick Yohanek sounds like a real man.
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
As it is, catch a ball and ask for what you want. The player can pay or walk away. These are baseballs not kidneys
<< <i>I have a personal story in connection with this. My sister-in-law's best friend and her family were at a Major League Game this year when a rookie hit his first home run and this woman's husband caught the ball. Team officials offered him $10,000 for it on the spot, but he said he would be willing to part with it for NO $$$$ if after the game the family could go on the field and take some pics with the team and get the rook's auto. The team agreed and they handed over the ball.
After the game, they went to the field, but ushers would not let them on. The rookie walked over, said "thanks", handed them a signed photo and walked away. That was it.
So the husband was so upset he cancelled his season tix.
True story.
Also, Nick Yohanek sounds like a real man. >>
I feel sorry for that family. He should have taken the $10K (cash of course) rather than trusting them with an IOU. Hindsight is always 20/20, though.
I have be meaning to make a post about what you guys think of all the baseballs that are still out there from the 1930's-1970's. All of the HRs that Ruth and Mantle hit, there still has to be some stuck in sock drawers. There is no way to verify most of them, but there are a few old timers that still no the stories behind them. There is an Antiques Roadshow episode with an elderly man who tells the story of how his uncle took him to a Yankees game, and the man tells the story beautifully, he says Joe Dimaggio blaster a homer that struck the facade with such force it put an indentation on the ball. His uncle signaled a grounds crew member at the end of the game and they took him down the clubhouse and had Joe sign the ball for him. The appraiser tells the man with the provenance the ball at auction could bring $20-$50K and the old man nearly has a heart attack and says thats great because I need a new car.