When I came across one of Zack's "YouTube" videos I couldn't help but salute the man. He's a likeable baseball fan who has compartmentalized his passion for ball-hawking right down to a science.
If Zack's visiting your ballpark with his baseball glove, you might as well have left yours at home. Because fly balls hit into the stands are likely to find the web of his glove by hook or (dare I say) crook. He's tenacious when it comes to retrieving baseballs in the stands. You see, Zack is a ball hawk. Whether it be a foul ball, home run or batting practice, Zack is on his game snagging ballpark gifts dropped from the heavens of baseball Gods.
What you've gotta love about Zack is that he comes to a ballpark prepared. He'll switch from wearing the home team cap and jersey to the visitor's gear, depending on which is holding batting practice; whatever it takes to get a ball thrown his way. And the strategy works!
He'll climb, stretch, scramble, scrum and even dive to come up with a baseball that's left the field of play headed toward his section of the ballpark. And though he's fast and aggressive during the hunt, he never seems to cross the line of courtesy and consideration for others.
Where Zack really earned my respect is when I saw him giving some of the baseballs he'd come up with to young kids in the stands. To have a passion for something and be able to share your earnings from that passion unconditionally is what being a fan of anything is all about; giving back. It's fans like Zack that gives fandom a sweet smelling aroma. We who are sports fans have a duty to pass our love and respect for the game on to future generations. There's no selfishness in baseball!
How unselfish is Zack? Well he gives tips to fans on how to snag major league baseballs in his book titled.....(wait for it)……."How to Snag Major League Baseballs." It appears Zack has a few published books to his credit. Take note kids, if you got a passion for something find a way to market it and make a few bucks.
Because Zack visits different ballparks and wears different team gear in his videos, I'm not sure what team he's an actual fan of. But I do know that he's a fan of the game of baseball, and that puts him in a category I share; that of a true sports fan.
If you've read this little blogpost about a special individual and wanna learn more, check out Zack's YouTube page and maybe give him a shout out. Who knows, one day you might just catch him snagging baseballs in your home team's ballpark.
Zack at San Francisco's AT&T Park
Zack at Oakland Coliseum (diving catch)
Oh No, Was I wrong about Zack Hample being unselfish?
Maybe I was just late to the dance: Kershaw shuts down Hample Douche
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