If you have ever attended a baseball game, you know the one souvenir every fan wishes to go home with is not sold in the gift shops or concession stands. The chance to catch a foul ball or home run is one that requires the right seats and a whole lot of luck. Some fans will never go home with a game ball, others (like this guy) might snag a few. But everyone can appreciate the 'whatever it takes' mentality that overcomes those in the vicinity of a fly ball.
For those who watched or listen to the Glenn Beck Radio Program on Friday, you may have noticed Stu was not part of the broadcast. Pat and Jeffy explained Stu had already left for vacation. As it turns out that vacation included a pit stop in Toronto, so Stu could watch his beloved Toronto Blue Jays take on their division rival Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays lost in an 8-0 blowout, but the video below shows it was Stu - not the players on the field - who ended up making the biggest headlines.
As you will notice, Stu reached over the stands to catch a foul ball hit by Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus. At the same time, Rays first baseman James Loney slid toward the wall in an attempt to make the catch. Because MLB Rule 3.16 states “should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator's interference,” Stu's catch actually cost his team an out.
“It’s a nice baseball, and he’ll get to have it,” said one TV commentator, “but he’s probably going to lose that seat though.”
It is unclear if Stu and his seat mate - Mercury CEO Chris Balfe - lost their seats, but at least Stu has a really, really awesome (and tragic) memento to take away from an otherwise bleak game.