How to Catch a Foul Ball

There are two types of baseball fans: The lucky ones who’ve caught a foul ball and the rest of us. Zack Hample is definitely not the rest of us. With 3,277 souvenirs so far, Hample is the foul-ball master. That’s because he uses strategy to create his own luck. The author of “How to Snag Major League Baseballs” says the last time he went to a game and didn’t get at least one ball was Sept. 2, 1993. “When I’m going after a foul ball,” he says, “I’m going to do anything I need to, aside from intentionally hurting someone, to get it.” Hample says you increase your odds by sitting in the right spot. Prime foul territory is the area between home plate and first base. If you want to be precise, draw an imaginary line from the left fielder through home plate and into the seats--that’s where most right-handed hitters send their foul balls. Hample says it’s best to stand so you get a good jump on the ball. If that’s not possible, look for an empty row where you can move freely. Follow his tips, and you just might bring home a trophy.