Infamous baseball collector Zack Hample came within inches of catching George Lombard's first career home run for the New York Yankees on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. The solo blast secured a 2-0 victory for the Yankees over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hample, positioned in the left-field seats, reached with his glove but was unable to secure the ball as it landed among other fans. The home run was ultimately caught by Bruce Roberts, a fan from Utah who was attending the game with his family. Roberts reportedly traded the ball for signed memorabilia and a meet-and-greet with Lombard.
Hample's near-catch generated discussion on social media, with some users expressing satisfaction that he did not obtain the souvenir due to his polarizing reputation among baseball fans. Hample is known for his presence at games and his success in catching home run balls, a skill that has also led to scrutiny regarding his methods for acquiring prime seating locations.
This incident echoes a previous notable catch by Hample in 2015, when he snagged Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th hit, which was a home run. At that time, Hample initially resisted returning the ball before eventually brokering a deal. The Yankees ultimately donated $150,000 to a charity of Hample's choice in exchange for the ball, along with a signed bat and ball from Rodriguez.
