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Homerun Ball Sparks Litigation: 12-Year Old Girl Gets Ball Back

storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

ohmy...............

Posted on Wed, Oct. 07, 2009

Historic baseball safe at home in Miami girl's hands

BY ADAM H. BEASLEY AND EMILY MICHOT
abeasley@MiamiHerald.com



JOE RIMKUS JR. / MIAMI HERALD STAFF

Jennifer Valdivia, 12, is reunited with a ball she caught. Who would have imagined that a home run by Phillies slugger Ryan Howard would turn into a legal tug of war with a 12-year-old kid from Miami?

But that's exactly what unfolded in the 2 ½ months since Howard's 200th career home run ended up in the hands of Jennifer Valdivia at Land Shark Stadium.

She wanted to take the ball home and show her friends. Howard wanted the ball because it represented a record: He was the fastest player to achieve the milestone in league history.

On Tuesday, the little girl got her wish.

``My ball,'' Jennifer beamed as she held it tightly. ``I have it, finally.''

It wasn't easy.

After catching the ball, Jennifer was escorted alone to the Phillies clubhouse, where they talked her into exchanging it for an autographed baseball, worth substantially less, said her Fort Lauderdale attorney and memorabilia enthusiast Norm Kent.

Realizing the mistake, Jennifer's family asked Kent to get the ball back. He sued the Phillies on Monday. By day's end, the little girl had her ball.

The Philadelphia Phillies did not return a phone call Tuesday. They have other things on their mind now.

The playoffs start Wednesday against the Rockies.

30


Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.

Comments

  • minnesotahuskerminnesotahusker Posts: 642 ✭✭✭
    How much do you want to bet that the ball she got "back" was a gamer, but NOT the milestone ball?
  • PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    It's not like the Phillies did something wrong here. I don't understand the implication in the story that they did. They offered the girl an autographed baseball. I probably would have taken the offer too. Maybe asked for a jersey or something. But still, lawyers? Geez...
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  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>How much do you want to bet that the ball she got "back" was a gamer, but NOT the milestone ball? >>



    //////////////////////////

    Sadly, that was my first thought, too.

    I hope that says more about my terminal cynicism than it does
    about the "integrity" of Howard, but I remain unconvinced.

    ........

    A well placed half-moon mark on caught balls - made with a
    thumbnail - makes a good "brand."

    On high-value balls, the catcher's saliva is prolly a good DNA
    mark, too.

    "Catch It, Nail-Gouge It, Lick It, Hide It."
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • okposo21okposo21 Posts: 169
    If it wasn't the correct ball, that would have to be something the Phillies (and Ryan Howard) keep entirely hush hush. If word ever got out that they defrauded the courts, I'm sure they'd be in a lot more trouble than they would have just complied from the get go.

    Contempt of court, fraud, etc...
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It's not like the Phillies did something wrong here. I don't understand the implication in the story that they did. They offered the girl an autographed baseball. I probably would have taken the offer too. Maybe asked for a jersey or something. But still, lawyers? Geez... >>



    ///////////////////////////////

    Unfortunately for semi con men like myself, the law forbids
    making contracts with unrepresented children.

    The kid was hustled off by adult authority-figures AND
    "convinced" to make a bad trade.

    The lawyer acted appropriately.



    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • ReljacReljac Posts: 758


    << <i>the law forbids making contracts with unrepresented children.

    The kid was hustled off by adult authority-figures AND
    "convinced" to make a bad trade.

    The lawyer acted appropriately. >>



    Exactly. It's amazing
    1) that the parents let strangers take their 12 year old
    2) they didn't consider just bringing the parent along as well. It probably could've been handled a lot better.
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,951 ✭✭✭✭
    "

    << <i>After catching the ball, Jennifer was escorted alone to the Phillies clubhouse... >>

    "

    Over my dead rotting corpse!! What the hell is wrong with parents these days?
  • vladguerrerovladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
    wow, another organization acts like a bunch of douches...
  • clayshooter22clayshooter22 Posts: 727 ✭✭✭
    Didn't the atty "make" the ballclub PROVE it was the ball? Wouldn't that be part of discovery?

    Mike

    Kirby Puckett Master Set
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Didn't the atty "make" the ballclub PROVE it was the ball? Wouldn't that be part of discovery?

    Mike >>



    /////////////////////

    There was no discovery.

    The Defendants got served and gave "the" ball back almost immediately; a matter of hours.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • clayshooter22clayshooter22 Posts: 727 ✭✭✭
    Don't you think......that's why it happened so fast.......

    Kirby Puckett Master Set
  • VintageCardLoverVintageCardLover Posts: 584 ✭
    philly, stay classy!

    they screwed the pooch by talking to the girl alone. Stop screwing with her and give her some nice stuff and stop being so damned cheap.
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,069 ✭✭✭
    I think we have way too many "milestones." The fastest to 200 home runs, really? Who cares!?
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "I think we have way too many "milestones." The fastest to 200 home runs, really? Who cares!? "

    ///////////////////////////

    That is likely a rational view of the circumstance.

    BUT, absent the complex math upon which the entire game is built,
    baseball could never have lasted as long as it has.

    The numbers, no matter how goofy they sometimes seem, must remain
    the primary focus for extra-serious fans.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • SDSportsFanSDSportsFan Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The Phillies should've known any "agreement" they entered into with the girl would be invalid, as anyone under the age of 18 cannot enter into a legally binding contract/agreement.

    They were stupid.

    That said, the parents were absolute morons, as well as derelict in their responsibilities, for letting her be taken, alone, into the Phillies' clubhouse!!!!! image


    Steve
  • gumbyfangumbyfan Posts: 5,168 ✭✭✭
    How long before the ball ends up at auction? I'd imagine that the greed of the parents far outweighed the distress of the 12 year old girl.
  • ArchStantonArchStanton Posts: 1,182 ✭✭✭
    If you take a 12 year old girl to Philadelphia, you are just asking for trouble.
    Collector of 1976 Topps baseball for some stupid reason.
    Collector of Pittsburgh Pirates cards for a slightly less stupid reason.
    My Pirates Collection
  • OAKESY25OAKESY25 Posts: 4,726 ✭✭✭
    is it possible the ball was authenticated on the spot? by MLB??
    and has a tamper proof hologram?
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭


    << <i>If you take a 12 year old girl to Philadelphia, you are just asking for trouble. >>



    I agree with that. however the game was in Miami not Phili. There is probably not a safer place in our country than at Land Shark stadium while a game is being played. I've watched the Braves play there (division rival) and heard the TV guy say there was less than 5,000 in attendence. Its always totally empty.
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