So I had two tickets to go watch Nolan Ryan pitch (bought them for the missus and myself). At the last moment, the missus calls and says she too busy that night trying to finish some homework, so maybe I should invite a friend to go to the game with me. So I hang up the phone and take a deep sigh. My office mate (I shared an office with another guy) asks me what's wrong. I say "Oh nothing, I have an extra ticket to tonights game and I can't think of anyone to go with me..." He then immediately says "I'll go!". I never once talked to this guy about baseball... at all. Was he even a fan? His enthusiasm led me to believe he was, so deal, let's do this!
We arrive at the game and it's Nolan Ryan and the Astros versus the much hated SF Jints. Much hated by me that is. Chili Davis is batting third for them and squares a fastball from Nolan, but he is well in front of it (Nolan must of taken something off the pitch). We're sitting in the field boxes on the first base side and we've got a very clear view of the hitters. Chili puts a charge into the ball and as quickly as it got to him, that is how quickly it came off his bat. It's a screamer, line drive about eye level when you stand up (as we did). It is coming straight, I mean straight at my friend. He ducks and hides literally undeneath the seat so I'm left with no reaction time whatsoever, the ball is on me. Just out of pure instincts, I reach out my right arm as if I had a first baseman's mitt on and the ball strikes my hand. Once it made contact, I pull my hand back towards my body and now with my other hand I cradle the ball coming towards my face. I move my head sideways, sort of a Neo move in the Matrix, you know, when he dodges a bullet headed for his cranium.
Everyone must of thought I was a dead man, but instead, I catch the ball. Or better said, the ball gets stuck in my hand, the pain is immense, but all I could think was "Thank God I'm still alive!" When a ball is chasing you, don't run, knock it down or deflect it or do something to slow down it's path. I accidently caught the darn thing! All around me folks start cheering, the bullpen looks up and one them (don't remember who it was) gave me a thumbs up. An usher comes to see if I'm alright and I assured them I was fine, no more pain in my hand, no broken bones and yes, this was a very lucky catch on my part. People behind me pat me on the back, others around me applaud. My friend... ah.... where is he?
Oh yeah, he's still cowering in fear underneath the seat. I assure him the firing squad had left and there was no more danger so he stood up, and some folks around us laughed at him and I think I remember one guy screaming "booooooo!!" once my friend showed his face. We sat down and he looks at the ball and asks me "Can I have it?" "What, the ball?" "Yeah, the ball... can I have it?" "Seriously, you want the ball *I* caught?" "Yes, for my daughter" Oh, he had me there, for the whole time we were office mates, I would compliment him on his pictures of his beautiful family, especially his newborn daughter. "Sure, here". I heard mild applause around me, I'm guessing some folks thought I was being nice and all and showing my friend I held no grudges that he bailed on a foul ball headed straight for him and thus made me next in line to try and stop a speeding bullet.
No, I just thought his daughter would like a baseball.
So I went home that night and told the missus what had happened. As I unravel the story to her as I have for you, she is getting more and more upset. So I thought "oh, she's angry that the guy almost got me killed with his bail job... wow, my wife really loves me!". Nope, she's mad because I gave the ball away that was pitched by Nolan Ryan, a memento I could have saved and given to my own children later on.
Oops, didn't think about that part of it.