Baseball Fan Has Caught More than 5,300 Home Run and Foul Balls

Your chances of catching a foul ball or a home run in a Major League Baseball game might be better than you think! Especially when you see how many baseballs 35 year old Zack Hample has snagged from games all over the world.

Over 5,300 to be more precise – he has gone to extraordinary lengths to increase those odds for himself and interestingly enough these are legit acquisitions too, no cheating or stealing balls from little kids. All his baseballs come from Major League games, Minor league and spring training don’t count.

The Science of Snagging

Hample’s father would describe his son’s first foul ball catch as much like a baby shark tasting it’s first blood. Since then, Hample has perfected his obsession to a science. “Lousy weather means fewer fans. Fewer fans means less competition. Less competition means more baseballs.” Not that Hample needs them.

“The key to catching a batted ball is to have some mobility. You want to be able to jump up and run left and right,” Hample says.

He has to change strategies ever so carefully according to the ballpark where the game is being played. Fenway Park for instance is really tough because it is so cramped and crowded, making mobility more difficult says Hample.

Famous Catches

Among Zack’s massive collection, (of which is not for sale) the following are some of his most prized possessions:

• last ten home runs ever hit at the old Yankee Stadium
• last Mets homer ever hit at Shea
• Barry Bonds’ 724th career homer in San Diego

Helpful Pointers

When asking a player for a ball, always use a first name. Last names are phony and overly formal. You must also be loud, and always say please.

If you can grab a seat along the foul line down the third base line, there’s a spot where the wall’s really low and juts out toward the foul line… You might have to compete with the ball girl, but there’s a lot of balls that end up right there.

When it comes to ball-snagging, Hample is a pro. He carries a hat for the home team and the visitors. He has a streak to maintain (at least one ball per game attended since 1993), a reputation to uphold (he’s written a book about ball-snagging, which essentially places him as the authority in ball-snagging) and an ongoing competition to win (he’s currently in first place in an online ball-snagging league, and yes, there actually is an online ball-snagging league).