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Hmmmm, this is a tricky one…
On one hand, I can totally understand the logic behind always giving a ball away to a kid seated near you if you’re lucky enough to catch one.
On the other hand, some people go their whole lives being die-hard fans and always waiting for their moment in the sun…
Do you think people who catch balls at games should give them to kids or keep them for themselves?
AskReddit users shared their thoughts.
1. Bothered by it.
“Something that’s always bothered me in any sport is when an adult gets a chance to get a game used item and is judged or talked bad about because they didn’t hand it to a kid next to them.
Ya, they could be selfish, or they could have been trying for one since they were as old as the kid everyone is judging them over.”
2. Different story.
“Yea if you fair and square catch the ball you don’t have to cough it up to the closest kid sitting near you. However if that a kid is about to catch the ball you shove him to the side and snag it that’s just wrong.
This reminds me I once went to a game unexpectedly straight from work and the seat next to me wasn’t being used so I put my kinda large tote bag on it. In the middle of the game a foul ball got hit straight into my purse and an older man at least in his 60’s came lunging across the row behind me and stuck his hand right into my purse to get the ball.
I remember half of the people around us were cheering him on when he held the ball up and the other half were like dude wtf? I was only about 22 or 23 at the time and much more timid back then so I didn’t have the balls to say anything other than just look extremely taken aback but I remember feeling kinda violated that someone put their hand into my personal property to take something out of it even if it didn’t actually belong to me.”
3. Mine!
“As long as the adult catches it fair and square, he or she should keep it.
When I travel or do a work event and I get anything, I always bring it home to my kids. I would be put out if I went to a game while out of town and caught a ball and couldn’t bring it back to my own kids. I won a stuffed turtle at a conference.
Should I have handed it to a kid at the hotel or taken it home to my own kids. An adult absolutely should not push or shove their way to get the ball.”
4. Interesting take…
“Adults can be just as excited about their hobbies and heroes as kids are.
And kids are prone to losing interest over time. If an adult is still passionate about the game and their team it’s likely been solidified over time.
I’m not saying it’s more meaningful to adults. I just think it depends on the person and we shouldn’t make assumptions about how into it the kids are because that’s how this issue was created in the first place.”
5. What a guy!
“Caught a ball once.
Parents sent their kid over for me to be a good soul and give it to them.
I told that kid to f**k off.”
6. Not gonna happen.
“I’ve always wanted to catch a foul ball.
I even bring my glove when I see a baseball game. If I ever caught a foul ball, I’m not giving it to some f**king random kid sitting next to me.
Are you kidding me?”
7. Get in line.
“I’ve been going to baseball games for 22 years, and I’ll continue to go for more than 22 more.
I’ve never caught a ball, I probably won’t ever get a ball. But if I do, that kid that comes up to me is waiting their turn.”
8. Got it all figured out.
“Pro tip…
Buy a baseball before going to a match, if you catch a ball give the decoy to the kid, they get a ball and the placebo and you get the ovation and the actual ball.”
9. Go to Hell!
“Not everything in the world belongs to those needy little brats.
Keep it, and d**n the people that judge you.”
10. You’ve put a lot of thought into this.
“As someone that mostly disagrees with you and is a huge baseball fan, I would say there’s a difference of ages.
Super young kids (like 6 and under) aren’t getting my f**king ball. Kids that age just look at the ball as a shiny object and will be on to the next distraction, or they’ll be crying about some other s**t soon enough.
I’ll give my ball to kids older than that though, but I do go to SF Giants games and those kids don’t need the ball lol. I’ve been a giants fan my whole life, that’s something I will cherish. I caught a ball thrown into the stands by Gregor Blanco in game 7 in 2012 that I still appreciate.
Having said that, Idgaf what other people do. Just don’t shame me for keeping my f**king ball. The kid’s rich Marin parents can buy them something much better.”
11. That’s not cool.
“I don’t get mad about that in and of itself. I get mad when so-called adults rip game balls out of kids’ hands, as was widely documented a few years ago.
Or push kids out of the way to snag the ball. It’s the overly entitled behavior like that to which I object.”
Do you think adults who catch balls at games should give them to kids?
Talk to us in the comments and share your thoughts.
Thanks a lot!
