How to Get a Baseball at the Ballpark

I have been a die hard baseball fan for as long as I can remember and have been to many major and minor league baseball games over the years. And of course as with any fan of baseball, I have one thing on my mind when I get to the game: I need to get a baseball. I can't tell you exactly why so many fans are obsessed with getting a free baseball that comes from the playing field when anyone could just go to their local sporting goods store and pay $5 for a baseball. But America has always had this obsession of getting a ball that has been thrown or hit by one of the players on the field.

It has definitely been a learning process for me over the years on how to get one of these free souvenirs, but I have managed to at least one free baseball the last several times I went to a game at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. So, I have outlined below a few tips or strategies that I have used or seen used by others in order to get their hands on one of these treasured baseballs.

Of course, you can always hope to get lucky and have a foul ball hit into your section but chances are that's not going to happen. But the place to sit to get foul balls hit in your direction is the seats around third base. Generally, most of your foul balls will be hit in this direction but be careful because if a ball comes to that area it is usually coming at a tremendous speed. I have witnessed on a couple of occasions fans breaking or jamming their fingers trying to snag one of these liners.

But the best time to get a baseball is before the game during batting practice and when the players are warming up on the field. Below are a few tips listed on how to get a baseball before the game.

Tip #1: Get to the game early. Batting practice is usually just starting as the gates open up at a lot of major league parks. At Turner Field, the gates open up two and a half hours before game. Check with your local team to find out about the opening gate times. The longer your at the ballpark chances are somebody's going to hit or throw a baseball your way.

Tip #2: Find the right location. Sitting in the left outfield seats(closer to the foul pole then center field) will usually give you the most opportunities to catch a homerun ball in batting practice. But also remember that a lot of the balls that come into the seats will be thrown in by the pitchers and bat boys fielding the balls during batting practice. So try and scout out which side of the field has the friendlier players. The last game I went to we had a couple of visiting players who refused to throw any balls in the stands(and they were enjoying it too). Usually this is how my friends and I will get our baseballs. We call out a player's name and he might throw one in our direction. Also, you want to find an aisle seat close to the wall so that you aren't crowded around by kids and other fans who are going after the balls as well.

Tip #3: Baseball Devices. You may have never seen one of these things but they're pretty neat. Everyone once in awhile a fan will come to the game with a string or fishing line attached to some sort of suction cup where they can pretty much reel in any ball that is not on the field of play. At Turner Field, there is an area between the wall and the stands where a lot of the baseballs will drop. Using one of these devices correctly can almost assure you of at least one baseball at the game.

Tip #4: Know inside information. Often times when a player has a baseball and is getting ready to throw in the stands a hundred people are yelling at them to throw it their way. Sometimes the players will just randomly toss it in an area but other time they will try and find someone specific to throw it to. I have seen some fans yell out a players college or high school mascot in order to get their attention, and it usually works. Just find out any general information about the player that may pique their interest. But don't get too personal it may just creep them out.

Tip #5: Kids. If you want your kid to get a baseball that is great and it's pretty easy to do. Usually the players will look to the kids in the front rows first to throw the balls to. But I have seen at time when parents will actually use their kids to get several baseballs. The last game I went to their was a little girl who next to me who left batting practice with at least 4 baseballs. So if you are willing to stoop that low, this is definitely the best method to use. Personally, I have no problem with the last method because their is nothing quite like leaving the ballpark with an authentic game or practice-used baseball, no matter the method used because everybody is a kid when they go to the ballpark.