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When Will Stewart of Austin bought a ticket in the outfield seats for the Chicago White Sox-LA Angels game on Sunday, he had no idea he was about to become a part of history.
But he was in the right place at the right time as Jim Thome's game-winning home run bounced off the rows behind Stewart and into his hands. It was Thome's 500th career home run, a mark that only 23 players in baseball history have reached.
Memorabilia like that home-run ball can fetch thousands of dollars at an auction, but Stewart, 28, chose to return the ball to Thome. In return, the White Sox offered Stewart two season tickets for the 2008 season and an autographed ball and bat.
Stewart, however, chose to donate the two season tickets to the charity of Thome's choice. The tickets will be auctioned off during the Joyce Thome Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Illinois, an event named in honor of Thome's late mother.
The team said they will fly Stewart out from Texas with a group of his friends to sit in Thome's box during one of the White Sox-Cubs games next season.
In the days leading up to the record homer, Thome said he wanted the ball back and planned to drive with his father to deliver it to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Photo by biverson on flickr
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Simply put; this is awesome. Imagine if we had a world full of people like this. It would be a much better and nicer place.
Hmmmm......I wonder if he's a native Austinite or a California transplant.
Either way, I vote that we re-name Town Lake Park to "Will Stewart Park".
I think he's originally from Nicetown, PA.
That is awesome. Good job, Will. Hopefully OJ doesn't try and steal the memorabilia.
What a thoroughly charming story. Gold star for everyone involved.
What a chump. Did they let him into the game for free? And what about those $6 beers & $5 hot dogs?
I love how MLB owners fleece their fans at the ballpark, while the players hold out for megamillions, forcing ticket prices ever higher, yet they expect a fan to give back a valuable piece of memorabilia in return for tickets and an autographed bat.
I'm not sure why he didn't hold out for a little more, especially considering:
1. he doesn't live in Chicago, so what good are season tickets
2. that ball would probably have sold for $50-100k on an auction block
It's cool that he didn't want to keep the ball and wanted Thome to have it (as opposed to selling it to some collector), but I'm not sure why he didn't get a LITTLE more out of it.
On the other hand, no shocker that Jerry R (owner of the White Sox) didn't pony anything worth a shit up. Anyone who has followed baseball and basketball knows he's a douche.
I'm with kenneth1.