I Live For This?

      The stadium is packed. The sweat gleams of the pitcher's brow and he looks for the sign. He leans in, winds up, and hurls the ball towards the plate. The batter squints his eyes and focuses on the bat meeting the ball. It's with the crack of the bat; the whole stadium holds their collective breath as the ball sails toward the outfield wall. The fan's cheers reaches a crescendo as the ball finally comes down into a fan's awaiting outstretched hand. The ball hits that one lucky fan's hand and then is fumbled down out sight only to rest in the abyss of no man's land or they are engulfed in a sea of people. It's the dream of every fan, casual or fanatical to catch a ball at a Major League Baseball game. 

      The advent of the new millennium has brought us a new sword in the stone. The home run ball, the foul ball, and the occasional gift from a Major Leaguer's hand. How much is it worth? For some it's worth climbing over other patrons to claw, bite, scrape, kick, and punch their way to. In other instances it's worth making a child cry as some barbaric fan rips a ball out of a youngster's hand. If it has a historical significance then we could be talking about thousands.  The baseball that Barry Bonds hit over the fence for his 756th* home run surpassing Hank Aaron sold at an auction for $752,467.20.   We could also be talking about thousands, as in it will be thousand of dollars to surgical repair you Mr. Calbos. The mania that surrounds baseballs has only increased with each year passing. The unfortunate circumstances that caused Shannon Stone's fatal fall at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington were just that, unfortunate. The same can’t be said for Keith Carmickle of Kingman, Arizona when he came within his friend's split second reactions from becoming the second victim in a week from a horrific fall at Chase Field in Phoenix.  The pictures show Mr. Carmickle moments before his near disastrous fall standing shoe-less and only in socks on a table that is meant to be sat on. 

          Is this what fans have been reduced to? Is the value of a ball worth climbing over people?  Is it more precious than a magical moment for a child's first ball at game? Is worth more than making sound judgments that might save your life or put someone else's at risk?