Four more articles
1) A few nights ago, a minor leaguer named Logan Parker hit two three-run homers in one inning. I interviewed him and wrote the story for MiLB.com.
2) Several journalists at the Salt Lake Tribune recently tracked every homer and foul ball hit during a Bees (Triple-A) game at Franklin Covey Field and interviewed the people who snagged them. Thanks to Jim in Utah for sending me the link.
3) Last week, a guy named John M. Setzler Jr. reviewed my book on the blog he writes about the Hickory Crawdads, a Class A team in the South Atlantic League.
4) In last week's issue of "New York" Magazine, there was a fan's guide to Shea and Yankee Stadiums which covered things like transportation, tickets, food, ballpark etiquette, getting on TV, how to heckle fans who root for the visiting team, and so on. I was consulted for the snagging portion, and here's how the first page turned out.
Did you notice the mistake? It's really small. You'd have to be familiar with Yankee Stadium to find it.
Zack-Glad you enjoyed the link I sent. I hope the others who read your blog enjoy it too. It is such a cool thing, with all the craziness of life, that snagging a baseball at a game can bring such joy to all walks of life. In my busy life, I still smile when I look at the one major league ball I snagged. Keep up the snagging! Thanks...Jim
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nice article on parker, i knew that name sounded familar, i remember watching him play against my hometown missoula osprey, have u ever done an article on an osprey player, just out of curiosity? they are rookie league.
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oh yeah i bought your book as well, i havent started reading it but i will start it as soon as i finish tim kurjain's is this a great game or what?, i think thats what its called, but i would recomend it if u have time to read it,
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Is the mistake that arrow in the upper deck down the first baseline says sections 609 to 630, because there would not be a 630 since the first baseline is odd numbers only
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Zack....
Nice feature about Yankee Stadium. You might have just given yourself some local competion. Hopefully not. Met Sammy Wu at the Padres game. He got some great autographs. I was impressed with his overall collection too. He showed me some pics of them. Very nice. I got a couple of balls myself. We had a picture taken of the two of us by an usher. If you want he could email it to you and maybe you could put it up on your blog so everyone could see what us left coasters look like. Anyway, looking forward to going to another game with Sammy sometime and would like to meet anyone else that comments at PETCO at any time. Looking forward to your blog from your next Philly game.
Leigh
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-Zack
I know that Dodger stadium also doesn't allow backpack. Another thing, the autograph company Steiner just sued big papi for violating contract of missing public signing for 1 million.
Oh yeah. went to PECTO and met Leigh, always nice to have some company. He sat only 6 seats left of me!
However, during BP, we were on different missions. I went straight to autograph hounding, although I would try to snag a ball here and there. Leigh is an old-school snagger. (500 balls) I did miss 2 chances on snagging balls which I am too ashame to talk about. However, I was at my best on collecting autographs. I got 5. Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels on official balls. Another Hamels signed on my glove (I used the changing my appearance tactic discussed in your 1st book, I took off my jacket and glasses. Lastly is rookie Kyle Kendrick on ticket.
Leigh and I chatted before game and late in the game. We had a good time. I seem to be a way better auto-hound than a snagger. It would be a good idea me and Leigh teach each other how to snagg ball/get auto. I gonna start studying, not reading, your 1st book word by word.
By the way, I start collecting autographs since May of last year. I have 93 in person autos so far, in book, caps, bat, jersey and lots of balls. Having them make me very happy, I am proud that I never did or never will sell them for profit.
Here is a link the picture of my collection.
http://www.freewebs.com/sammywu/IMG%5F0811.JPG
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Zack, the arrows on the lower level are pointing to the white seats, which you need a ticket to get to, so do you recommend those same sections only in the yellow, which is on the other side of the main isle?
I went to the 2nd game of the Doubler-Header last night.
No BP, and there were 5 or 6 close calls, but for the first 5 innings, Matt Desalvo was throwing 89, and the other dude couldn't reach 85. BLEH.
Then when the stadium emptied out, there were almost no foul balls cuz almost every ball was a base hit or an out.
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OK never mind about the first part of the last comment.
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Oh, and where the page about Shea? Did they have one?
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So you're not going to Shea on Tuesday? I thought you missed the place?
Anyway, I'll be there, and I have tickets to both the bleachers and the regular stadium (long story; don't ask), so I'll be going back and forth all night. Should be entertaining.
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Greg, how can you go back and forth if theres no re-entry into the stadium?
Are the bleachers at Shea connected to the rest of the Stadium?
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The bleachers are sort of connected. If you have tickets to the bleachers, you can enter the regular part of the stadium (just not vice versa). There's a walkway behind the visitors' bullpen that you can access if you have bleacher tickets. Check out this 2005 entry from Zack's blog: http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/the_baseball_collector/2005/08/the_weirdest_wa.html
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JIM-
Well said, and thanks again.
REDSOX-
I don't think I've ever written anything about Missoula. Thanks for picking up my book (hope you like it!) and for the recommendation. I probably won't have time during the season to read it, but perhaps this winter.
KERRY-
I hadn't thought about that, but you're absolutely right. That definitely IS a mistake, and it's worse than the one I was originally thinking about.
LEIGH-
I'm not concerned about increasing the competition in New York City. I'm glad to help people get balls, and anyway, the stadiums are sooooo crowded already that a few extra people won't make a difference. How cool that you and Sammy were able to connect in person after meeting here on the blog. I love it when stuff like that happens. Since Sammy was able to post that pic of his collection, maybe he can post the pic of the two of you? I'd like to see what you guys look like.
SAMMY-
Are you serious about Papi and Steiner? Wow! I hadn't heard about that. As I just said to Leigh, I'm really happy that you guys were able to connect at PETCO. Sounds like you got some great Phillies autographs. Did you get them on the sweet spot? Your collection looks great. Thanks for posting that pic and sharing the link.
PUCK COLLECTOR-
You're right. That's also a mistake, but again, it's not the one I was thinking about. Sorry you had a rough time at the night game last night. It seems like this whole weekend would've been a crappy time to be in the Bronx. Oh...the article did have a page about Shea, but my name wasn't on it (only my advice) so I didn't bother scanning it.
GREG-
I have to ask. I don't care if it's a long story. You've written a 1,200-word comment before.
:-)
I'm going to Philly on Tuesday instead of Shea. I might be at Shea on Wednesday. Will you be there? If I go, I'll have to leave by like 9pm. Maybe even sooner. (Only Mets game in a seven-week span, and I'll have to leave early...unbelievable.)
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