Homer Homer

Many people have gone to baseball games for all their lives in hopes of seeing a winning ballclub.

That wish is coming true this season for lots of people who weren't around prior to 1997, the last time the Orioles finished above .500

Many people go to games in hopes of catching a home run ball.  Or a foul ball.  Or a ground-rule double that hops off their field into their big tub o' beer.

But imagine catching the first major league home run ball hit by Oriole rookie Manny Machado, widely regarded as the future superstar of the club.

Adam Corder of Millersville MD did just that, last Friday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.  Machado deposited a fifth-inning Luke Hochevar pitch into Section 78, Row 14, right into the waiting mitts of 14-year-old Adam, making him the envy of souvenir hunters everywhere.

And then...

In the 6th inning, Machado connected for his second MLB homerun.  This time, the ball was caught in the same section by the same young Mr Corder.

Machado swings (SUN photo)

That has to be some sort of lightning-strikes-twice record.  Years ago Bob Feller, pitching for the Indians, threw a pitch that a batter hit foul into the stands...on Ladies' Day...and hit Feller's mother on the bean.  But that only happened once, I'm happy to say.

Adam Corder (SUN photo)

Adam traded the most valuable of the balls - the first one - to Machado for four signed balls and a bat.  He kept the second ball.


What a night!