Touch 'Em All: A HR Ball Knocks Out A Fan, Parker Meadows Makes History & Fans Steal Aaron Judge's HR Plaque
"Touch 'Em All" Will Begin With A Bit Of MLB History
Do you know who Parker Meadows is? Before last night, I certainly didn’t.
He’s a center fielder for the Detroit Tigers - a team that, until recently, was largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of the MLB. Of course, when my Red Sox decided to blow two games against them in Detroit last week, they shot themselves into the AL Wild Card race, so they can thank the chronically-disappointing Red Sox for being back in the spotlight.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 26: Parker Meadows #22 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after his home run in the seventh inning off Jared Shuster of the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on August 26, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Also, Meadows frequently bats toward the bottom of the order for the Tigers, and he’s hitting .225 with six home runs and 17 RBIs. All of this is to say, you would be forgiven for not knowing who this guy is.
But one of the things about baseball that never ceases to amaze me is that it’s relatively obscure guys like this that can accomplish some of the most remarkable feats in the history of the game, and Meadows did that last night.
Here’s the situation: the Tigers were losing to the San Diego Padres 3-0 in the ninth inning, and two men were already out. Meadows - the ninth man in the order - had a full count, and was one strike away from losing the game.
But Meadows told the pressure of the moment to go kick rocks, and he laced a ball to left field for a go-ahead grand slam.
Incredible. Improbable. Downright electrifying. Those are the kind of moments that you remember forever as a player. As if it could get any better, that ended up being the game-winner for Detroit.
But in addition to getting his team a win in the only good city in California, Meadows forever etched himself in the MLB’ history.
Just to reiterate, Meadows came to bat with his team on the verge of being shutout on the road and with only one out to spare. Then he promptly proceeded to hit a grand slam to win his team the game.
The list of other guys to do this in MLB history are:
- Ted Williams (on August 27, 1955)
And that’s it.
Yup, you read that right. With one swing of the bat, he did something that only one other man in the history of the MLB has done, and that guy just so happens to be a Hall of Famer and the man known as "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived."
Meadows may have stepped to the plate for that at-bat as a man that not many people outside the Motor City may have known about. But now, he will be remembered for this legendary feat.
Baseball is a crazy sport, man.
What's the craziest baseball feat you've ever seen? Let me know: john.simmons@outkick.com.
One Fan Literally Got Knocked Out By A HR Ball At Tropicana Field
I’ve talked about how catching a foul ball or a home run ball can be one of the best you can experience as a baseball fan. Not only do you get to go to a park and hang out with some friends or family, you get to take home a literal piece of the game with you.
But sometimes, catching a home run ball can be a little more dangerous than fans bargain for, and one fan learned that the hard way earlier this week.
During the Minnesota Twins vs. Tampa Bay Rays game, Trevor Larnach torched a ball to the left/right field fences. The ball didn’t have much of a launch angle, and was hit with all kinds of speed.
As a fan braced to catch the ball, he apparently did not properly account for how fast it was coming at him, and the ball hit him square in the face and knocked him out cold. If you look closely, you can see him slump back in his chair unconscious.
Oof, that hurts just watching it. That was reminiscent of how most dudes ended up when they fought Mike Tyson.
Fortunately, the fan ended up being okay. But gahlee, that’s gonna be one heck of a headache.
Someone Keeps Stealing Aaron Judge's AL HR Record Plaque, And The Rangers Have Had Enough
You all probably know about this guy named Aaron Judge. He plays for the New York Yankees, and he hits dingers.
Like, a lot of them.
He does other things, but that’s what he’s most famous for. That was never more evident than in the 2022 season, when he blasted a mind-boggling 62 dingers, an AL record.
Now if I were in the MLB, I could maybe hit - maybe - three home runs in a season (I’m not that good at this sport). But I wouldn’t be able to hit 62 in my wildest dreams.
Judge set his record at Globe Life Field in a game against the Texas Rangers, and because the Rangers are a classy organization, they put a plaque where the ball landed in the outfield seats.
But apparently, there are some fans that didn’t want to leave that marker alone. It was stolen earlier this week, and evidently is not the only time someone has stolen this marker.
I mean come on people, leave well enough alone. That marked a moment when the guy broke a record held for 61 years. I despise the Yankees, and I even want to see a guy who set such a remarkable record have his memory of the moment be at peace.
The worst part about this whole situation is that the Rangers have given up trying to replace it and are just going to leave the spot bare from here on out. Nothing like having your attempt to honor an opponent get ruined by a few unruly fans.
…
That's it for this week! If you have any ideas you want to see me write about, email me at john.simmons@outkick.com. Have a fantastic weekend!