Rik danburg has spent the last five seasons traipsing through the bleachers, following home run balls into the stands. He’s not out to collect them — he works as supervisor of gameday staff and hand-letters special certificates for the lucky fans who come up from the scrum. Want to catch one? Follow his advice:
› Sit in the bleachers, insections 182 and 183 for right-handers andsection 109 through 113, near the visitors bullpen, for left-handers.
› “Absolutely take a glove,” Danburg says. Ninety percent of home run catchers have leather on their hands.
› Pay attention to the game, especially who’s at bat.
› Don’t, repeat, don’t throw a visiting team’s home run ball back onto the field. According to park rules, you’ll be escorted out by the police.
› To get your ball signed, you can wait around the parking lot and ask — “nicely” — if Pronk or Casey Blake will sign it, or wait for one of the team’s signing sessions.
› Sit in the bleachers, insections 182 and 183 for right-handers andsection 109 through 113, near the visitors bullpen, for left-handers.
› “Absolutely take a glove,” Danburg says. Ninety percent of home run catchers have leather on their hands.
› Pay attention to the game, especially who’s at bat.
› Don’t, repeat, don’t throw a visiting team’s home run ball back onto the field. According to park rules, you’ll be escorted out by the police.
› To get your ball signed, you can wait around the parking lot and ask — “nicely” — if Pronk or Casey Blake will sign it, or wait for one of the team’s signing sessions.
