Last Updated: April 2nd, 2024 by Michael Schatz
Besides an autograph, what’s the one thing you want to snag at a baseball game when you’re a kid? It has to be a ball – whether it’s a home run ball or a foul ball. Being able to bring it to school for show and tell instantly makes you the coolest kid in class. And who knows, you might even get a little air time too.
But no matter how bad you want that ball, sometimes it just doesn’t happen – trust me, I’ve been there many times. And when you’re a little kid and your entire world revolves around getting that ball it can be life-shattering.
However, as one young Diamondbacks fan found out, your lowest moment can quickly become your highest.
This particular event took place during a Diamondbacks and Giants game – NL West rivals and not the best of friends. Giants left field Roger Kieschnick fouled a ball down the first base line. It ricocheted off the stands, alluded the ball boy, and rolled to the fence. Diamondbacks right fielder Gerardo Parra picked it up, scanned the crowd, and tossed it to a lucky kid – greatest day ever for that kid.
But just behind that lucky kid was an unlucky one. A little too small to be seen by Parra, he was left out and had to watch his fellow fan celebrate. And that’s when he went into “shutdown mode” as the Giants broadcasting team put it. Add that to the fact the Diamondbacks were losing and this kid’s day was going from bad to worse.
Although it wouldn’t remain that way for long.
Another fan, only a few years older than our somber protagonist, saved the day by hand-delivering a ball to the D-Backs fan. But this wasn’t just any ball. It was a souvenir ball! One he paid money for! And to top it off – he was a Giants fan! Talk about hero status. That kid’s got leader written all over him. When the Giants broadcasting team saw this, they had another ball sent to the Giants fan as a reward for his selfless act. Everyone went home with a ball. Everyone was happy.
And that’s why baseball is the best.