Alex Rodriguez is finally getting back his coveted 3,000th hit ball but it will cost the Yankees quite a bit. Not that it will be a problem because the Yanks are swimming in money, but Zack Hample agreed to return the ball in exchange for a $150,000 donation of his choice plus many more perks.
@IamJoeSports
The Yankees will hold a special news conference Friday afternoon in which Zack Hample, the fan and persistent foul-ball catcher, will present Rodriguez with the ball at Yankee Stadium. It was two weeks ago that A-Rod sent his 3,000th hit into the right-field seats, where it bounced around before landing at Hample’s feet.
The Yankees, in a news release, said they will donate $150,000 to Pitch In For Baseball, a charity Hample supports that helps underserved communities afford to play the game. Hample will also receive some memorabilia, tickets and other perks from the Yankees.
Hample claims to have “snagged” 8,000 baseballs — foul balls, home run balls from batting practice and those tossed to him by players — in his life and has written a book offering advice on his craft. He declined to make a deal with the Yankees on the night of A-Rod’s feat. Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ principal owner, directed team president Randy Levine to try to work out an agreement. The two sides have held multiple talks since Hample retrieved the ball.
