Fan waiting for beer gets No. 715 ball

[Eric]

Fan waiting for beer gets No. 715 ball
Posted: Sunday May 28, 2006 8:00 PM From SI.com

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -A fan waiting in line for beer and peanuts got something extra at the concession stand: home run ball No. 715 by Barry Bonds.

Andrew Morbitzer was waiting his turn to stock up on a couple of beers Sunday when the souvenir of a lifetime plopped into his hand.

"I got to be a small part of a big day,'' Morbitzer said after the game with his wife, Megan, at his side.

For several moments, Bonds' milestone ball appeared to be beyond anyone's reach. It sat lodged on an elevated platform in center field, then trickled off the roof.

Morbitzer, a 38-year-old San Francisco resident, caught the ball and was quickly ushered away by security for a postgame news conference after the Giants' 6-3 loss to Colorado.

Morbitzer said he went to get a few more beers because he couldn't see who would be up next in the bleachers.

"We both finished our beers and decided it was a good time to get a beer refill,'' he said.

He then heard the crowd roar and saw people reaching in the air before catching the ball with one hand.

"I snagged it,'' he said.

[sportscentury]

I'm not sure I get it. From what I saw, the ball popped out of the stands and down into a dead area. Is that where the guy caught it? I've never been to that stadium, so I'm not exactly sure how it is set up. But, when I saw it on the sports highlights I thought that it would simply be retrieved by stadium grounds crew and returned to Bonds. That had to be a weird way to catch a homerun ball.

Also, could this be anymore anticlimactic? I think the thing that impressed me most today was being reminded that Ruth was a pitcher for the majority of his first five years ... putting his 714 into perspective (not to mention the era he hit them in) ... a truly remarkable accomplishment. To think that Ruth's offensive feats were *after* five years of pitching ... similar to interpreting Ted Williams' accomplishments in light of his multi-year absence from MLB for his war efforts ... in the middle of his career! Amazing. As for Bonds, I don't know that I could be less phased by #715.

Reid

[kylehess10]

That's what I saw too. I didn't see any fan catch it

[yanks12025]

Has anyone heard whats he doing with it.

[kylehess10]

They should blow the ball up (along with Bonds) just like what they did to the Steve Bartman Ball.

[Eric]

From AP story

"A professed Giants and Barry Bonds fan, Morbitzer only recently relocated from Colorado. He hasn't decided what he will do with the ball, and hadn't received any offers by the end of the game.

'Yet to be determined,' he said. 'Hold it tightly in my hands for a little while.'"

[sportscentury]

They should blow the ball up (along with Bonds) just like what they did to the Steve Bartman Ball.

(along with Bonds) - Hysterical!

[allstarsplus]

I'm not sure I get it. From what I saw, the ball popped out of the stands and down into a dead area. Is that where the guy caught it? I've never been to that stadium, so I'm not exactly sure how it is set up. But, when I saw it on the sports highlights I thought that it would simply be retrieved by stadium grounds crew and returned to Bonds. That had to be a weird way to catch a homerun ball.

Reid

There is a dark gray cinderblock concession area that you see the backside from homeplate. The guy that caught the ball was buying beer, peanuts and sandwich when the ball fell from the stands down to him.

[cohibasmoker]

If the fan that caught the Bonds' 715th home run baseball was in fact waiting in line to buy a beer, seems kinda weird because beer was the Babe's beverage of choice and it's a "all-natural" product.