THE
PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT BASEBALL -- AND HOW TO SNAG ONE AT A MAJOR LEAGUE GAME
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How to Snag Major League Baseballs -- fan mail
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January 8, 2012 I tell you this because in many ways returning to accomplish a goal at a game I loved but had neglected has inspired me beyond belief. Three years ago I purchased a decent camera and took a few community courses because I loved photography but knew nothing about it. My enjoyment turned into a second career as I started a small business shooting local sports. Last season I interned as the team photographer for the Akron Aeros (Cleveland Indians AA team) where I shot there games, baseball card set, and promos for the year. I'm returning for a second season and just received word last week that they're sending me to Phoenix for a week of Spring Training! How these two worlds collided, I'll never know, but I am grateful for the gifts I've been given. Zack, thank you. I suppose my love of baseball was always in my heart, but clearly I needed something to wake up those deeply rooted sentiments. If you're ever in Akron, Ohio this summer, look for me in the dugout at the photo well. I can guarantee snagging a ball at Canal Park is much easier than Yankee Stadium. Just wanted to give my appreciation- -David |
| September 11, 2011 Hey Zack just thought I’d tell you that I just got your first book, “How to Snag Major League Baseballs” and I absolutely love it! You are the awesomest person ever! -Brendan |
| June 16, 2010 Zack– I will not fawn so much that I freak you out, but I must say that after reading "Watching Baseball Smarter" I wanted to know more about you and your earlier book "How to Snag Major League Baseballs" which I purchased recently. It is very simple (which is perfect) and helpful. Basically, it affirms much of my thinking – who doesn’t love to have their ways of thinking endorsed (and enhanced)?! I've been reading it as a bedtime story to our oldest kids (see below) the last 4 nights. At any rate, Father's Day is coming up. I shared with my wife that the greatest gift she could get me would be to hire you to go to a game with myself, Maple and Maxine and help the kids snag balls. My wife (Michelle, who you will like very much – there is no one who doesn’t think she is great) will probably be contacting you. You can act like you haven't heard from me. But, I just wanted to introduce myself. -David, age 43 Seattle, WA |
| April 12, 2010 I went to Spring Training this year and used some of your methods in your book and caught 5 balls in 3 games not as good as you but i was proud of myself thanks! -Oliver |
| July
15, 2009 Aloha Zack from Hawaii - Because we have no major league team in Hawaii and don't have the same perspective of watching MLB games, in prep for my son's (7 years old) first major league game we read your blog, took notes and bought a copy of your first book. Great ideas and yes your hints/advice does work. First ball at Nationals Park - an Easter egg sitting in the flower bed. Would have never thought to look there. Still can't believe you got 28 in that park and still in amazement of the 32 balls at Kauffman. Now we understand the excitement of obtaining the baseball. Can't wait to read your new book and see a deeper insight into baseball...We love the pictures, comments and stories on your blog. Keep up the good work and we are always looking forward to your updates. -Todd |
| February
4, 2009 hey zack i read your book about 4-5 years ago and it changed my life. ive been going to batting practice and spring training ever since...I'm born and raised an Angels fan and go to 20-40 games a season. Since reading your book I have snagged 342 baseballs and have traveled to Spring training, Yankee Stadium, Fenway (For an Angels game in 2007...third base side during BP...I love it), the 2006 world baseball classic semi-finals and finals, and a Reds vs. Padres game this past summer. -Warren, age 15 Orange County, CA P.S. All Star Game 2010 Angel Stadium Come chill man! |
| October
4, 2008 Dear Zack, I don't know if you get tons and tons of emails like this, but I just had to tell you how much your first book influenced me to collect baseballs at a rapid pace. I am a MINOR league baseball collector from Tennessee that collects baseballs around East Tennessee, Western Virginia, and the Western Carolinas. Before I read How to Snag Major League Baseballs, I had a lifetime number of 17 baseballs. After reading your book, something clicked in my mind that made me have a mission, snag a ball in every Appalachian League park in Tennessee. I ended up doing more than that. I extended my season by going to 2 Tennessee Smokies games and 1 Asheville Tourists game, each time getting a ball. Finally, the Appy League Season got underway. The dream was fulfilled as I successfully snagged baseballs in all four of the Appy League parks in Tennessee, with the help of one extra park in Bristol, Virginia. Overall I amassed 27 baseballs. My lifetime number is now 44 and I plan to celebrate that magic number of 50. I probably couldn't have done it without your first book. Sincerely, Ben P.S. Congrats on the Shea Stadium catch on the final game. |
| September
30, 2008 Zack, I've always been a huge fan and I just wanted to thank you. Over the last 9 years I've read your book before every game I go to, and its helped me get dozens of balls. During the summer I got 3 balls at a game in San Francisco and I remember thinking how I wouldn't have got any if it wasn't for your book. So thanks! Hopefully I'll see you at the new Yankee Stadium. -John |
| August
6, 2008 Zack, Jeff from the Phillies game here. Thanks again for signing the book and answering my questions. By the way, I believe my glove trick failed during our "old fashioned battle" because that was my first ever attempt in a stadium to use the glove trick and I was competing with the creator of the glove trick! That's an intimidating first try. But I did successfully get one off the warning track when Ethan's pen fell out of his glove and I swooped in. So it was a productive first day of snagging. I snagged 3 (but ended up with 2 after giving one to the kid it was apparently intended for), which is equal to the amount of balls I've gone him with over the last 15 years. All thanks to your blog and book. -Jeff, age 24 Jamison, PA |
| June
3, 2008 Zack, Thanks for answering!!!!! This is Alejandro's mom: My son is going crazy with you and your books, You –tube, he knows you better than anybody. He is a very smart little boy, and this weekend we are going to another baseball game to see if he can catch some more balls. (He carries your book with him, so he knows how many balls he needs to catch to break the record!) He actually caught 2 balls last time he went to a Marlins game As a mother thanks for the inspiration you have given him. He is into sports since a very young age, but baseball is his passion!!! More than catching a ball, it is about believing that you can achieve what you set up your mind into. That is the lesson he is learning with you and the balls. You are going to make him the happiest kid on earth with this e-mail God bless you -Rosa Miami, FL |
| May 14, 2008 Hey Zack, My Dad and I go on a baseball trip every year with Jay Buckely Baseball Tours. It rocks, in the summer we go on a bus with about 30 other people and drive around each day to baseball games all over the place. You get to go to about 10 games in a week and a half. It's always awesome. Anyway, ever since we started going on Jay Buckley's Tours we have gotten a lot of baseballs (for us anyway). We have about 75 or more in about 40 games. We've also gone on our own to a few games, but we didn't factor those in yet. I have to say that you've been the guiding force for basically all of it. Every year I read your book at least 3 times before the trip. We always think it is funny when people say that 75 is a ton because of your amazing total of 3300+. One guy literally said we should write a book, "How to Snag Major League Baseballs". We just went along with it and agreed. Thank you so much for all of your help. With your info, our baseball trips are so much more fun. We're learning as we go along and we've seen plenty of crazy and funny things. Thanks Again, Brendan |
August
25, 2007 |
July
30, 2007 |
| June
24, 2007 Hey Zack, I accidentally stumbled on your blog and I LOVE IT. I have learned so much about baseball and am totally amazed by your glove trick. I attend ball games alot and love to collect autographes. I tried the trick yesterday at Angel Stadium and I snagged 2 balls! Also, I love your book "How to Snag ML baseballs." At first I couldn't find it on amazon, ebay or just about any places on web. Good thing is that I used Google book search it is avaliable in my local library~I actually applied for library card just to rent your book!!! THANK YOU ZACK, YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL and the video is very cool, too!!!!! -Sammy |
June
18, 2007 |
November
27, 2006 |
August
23, 2006 |
July
26, 2006 |
| June
22, 2006 You have a great blog and I love reading your entries. I recently got a copy of your book from a friend and now I have already gotten 13 balls in just 3 games. I just wanted to thank you for giving me and I'm sure many others a new and fun hobby. I don't get to Shea as much as I'd like to, but I hope to bump into you the next time I go. -Jeff |
June
13, 2006 |
| October
6, 2005 Zack im your biggest fan,ive been a huge fan for about 1 year i look at your blog every day, i live near san fransisco are you planning on going to sf ever its so fun sbc park is great have you ever officially met jt snow? he's my favorite player.Do you know how i could get a copy of your book? sorry im asking you so many questions but i idelize you.please email me back withe the answers. |
September
22, 2005 |
| May
3, 2005 I owe you thanks about how to get an autographed baseball from that section of your book. I wrote to George Steinbrenner, stroked his ego in a letter and viola! - instant result. Thanks again for writing the book and of course your excellent advice. -Gabriel Salinas, CA |
| May
22, 2004 Hi. I'm Evan and I'm from California . I am twelve years old.I have read your great book many times. I got in second grade and then every year I kept reading it, I have learned all your techniques. I enjoy going to dodger stadium( it is the closest stadium to me). My dad and I go about once every two weeks since I have a lot of homework and stuff like that. When I go My dad and I buy lodge tickets. We get their 90 minutes before the game and watch BP. At 90 minutes before the game their is no one guarding the door leading to the lower level. Every time my dad and I sneak down to watch BP. My record is three balls in one game but I'm trying to break that record. I have twelve total but I'm adding a lot each time I go to games. Last season my dad and I were at a dodger vs. mets game sitting in the lodge seats. Edguardo Alfonso hit a foul ball a few aisles over from me and their was another person racing me to the ball but I dove and beat him to the ball. this was my first and only game ball. Once I tried to bring a fishnet in but they wouldn't let me. To make it worse they didn't even return it to me after the game. Since then I have never tried to bring one in. Even though you are probably busy please try to get back to me. |
| July
24, 2003 Zack, I would like to say that I bought your book right about when it came out, because I couldn't figure out why I could never catch a ball. Since then, although it took me three years, I have snagged 4 balls at the age of thirteen. Today, I had my first multi-ball game, then rubbed it in my sister's face (she almost made me late for BP). -Charlie New York, NY |
June
22, 2003 |
| May
29, 2003 Dear Zack, I am a baseball fan whose dream was to catch a foul ball also. I have always wanted to.I think you may be like me and get a kind of weird feeling when you see a fan catch a ball. To me, it's like seeing a Grand slam hit out of Yankee Stadium. My dream came true at Yankee Stadium. They were playing the Indians. It was in BP. A coach from Cleveland walked over to the outfield fence with a ball. I was 12. There wereprobably 20 kids reaching out. I stuck out my hat. And all of the sudden he looked up at me. I guess he saw the look on my eyes because he just reached up and stuck it in my hat. It was so awesome. I hope to get some more. I would love so much to be able to find a copy of your book. -David, age 13 Greenville, SC |
| October
30, 2002 hi zack how are you? i just finished reading your book, it was really cool. my main hobby is collecting memorabilia from sporting events, mainly hockey and baseball. probably 85% of the reason why i go to MLB or minor league games is to get a ball. i feel so good when i get one. i only have about 5 balls from the 20 or so mlb games ive been to. your book was right up my alley. i bought it yesterday afternoon at a school bookfair and finished it this morning. -Jordan, age 13 Miami, FL |
| March
22, 2002 I bought your book about a year or two ago. It was really informing. I go to a lot of Tacoma Rainers baseball games and my brother and I get several baseballs. We even sometimes get baseball bat. I used a lot of your tips to get baseballs at Seattle Mariners games. I've gotten 5 baseballs from the Mariners and 1 of them is a game ball from Kazahiro Sazaki. -Jeff Tacoma, WA |
September
10, 2001 |
| September
2, 2001 Your book is great. It must be great having all those Major League balls. Thanks to you, I caught my first four balls in one game. Unfortunately, I don't go to games very often, but when I do, I follow your book. I have even made the Zacktrap with my glove. You are the best ball snagger in the world. -Matthew, age 11 |
July
9, 2001 |
| May
17, 2001 Since I can remember, I have longed to snag a major league baseball at the park. It didn't seem fair for lucky fans who happened to be seated where the foul balls landed to leave the stadium with a souvenir that I so desperately craved. I gave up on my dream many years ago. When I saw your book, my determination returned. Although I'm now 36, I knew I still had a chance to realize my dream. I ordered your book (FedEx), read and reread it and developed my plan. I chose today's game, which started at 12:35-most kids would still be in school. I typed up lineups for both teams so I could memorize names and numbers (even birthdates-there were 2 May birthdates close to today's date!). Checked the pitching rotation and ordered my tickets accordingly. I stood at will call an hour early and was the 5th person in at the gate-only to discover there was no batting practice. Plan B.... A few Reds pitchers were warming up. Being fluent in Spanish, I eyed Osvaldo Hernandez and was determined to ask him to throw me his ball when he was finished. At 11:24, 19 minutes into the stadium, I snagged my first! I swear it was in slow motion and destined to be a highlight on Sportscenter! When the Diamondbacks took the field, I headed toward the 3rd base side. After welcoming Reggie Sanders back to Cincinnati, I asked him for his ball. At 12:15, number 2! THANK YOU! You gave me not only tips, but, perhaps more importantly, the courage and determination to fulfill a dream. What a rush...maybe I'll get some sleep tonight. -David Cincinnati, OH |
April
22, 2001 |
| April
11, 2001 Hi, Thanks For making the wonderful book. I went to The vet for the Phillies on April 9, 2001. I went to bating practice brought both a Marlins and a Phillies hat and at the end of BP Pat Burrel saw me with my glove and hat on and throgh me the ball. I was so excited. Then I had very good seats right behind the Marlins dougout and Derek Lee Saw me with my Marlins Hat on Dring the game and he tossed me the ball and one kid jumped in front of me to get it and he did. So later the next ining he saw me again and throught it to me. So now I have 2 balls for that game, and I ow it all To you. -Carmen |