Fan who caught two HR balls going into Hall of Fame

[jobycom]

HOUSTON -- Shaun Dean only remembers facing one major-league pitcher in his life, back in Little League when he walked against Josh Beckett and stole second base.

Now, the lifelong Houston Astros fan is going into the Baseball Hall of Fame after catching two home run balls during a playoff game.

Dean was in the second row of the left field stands for the Astros' 18-inning victory that ended the NL Division Series against Atlanta. He caught Lance Berkman's grand slam in the eighth inning, and then 10 innings later he snagged Chris Burke's homer that ended the longest game in postseason history.

On Friday, Dean returned as a guest of the Astros and gave both balls to the Hall of Fame. The balls, along with a picture of Dean and his family, will be part of an exhibit that will be set up at Cooperstown after this year's postseason is completed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2005/news/story?id=2191707

[koopie57]

1. that's pretty cool ... good for him! n/t

[Catch22Dem]

2. It would sound so cliche to say "what are the odds" but

What are the odds?

[jobycom]

3. What amazes me is

A week ago he was nothing. Because of one night and two hits in his direction, now he's in the baseball Hall of Fame.

Gives us all hope, doesn't it? :-)

[Catch22Dem]

4. Yeah, no kidding. It does indeed. (n/t)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. 2500-1....?

Obviously the pool of possible HR catchers is limited to the outfield bleachers. A large percentage of HR's land in the first dozen rows. An equally large percentage of HR's land in the "pull-zone" of the hitter. The odds of catching 2 HR's is also limited/exacerbated by how many fans have caught 1 HR already.

Iow, probably not as long as you think (or I thought when I initially thought about it :crazy: ).

[petronius]

5. The kid does look a bit scared...

Of course, I might be a bit scared too if Roger Clemens was coming at me!

Very cool act by this fan - unlike the fuckwad who interfered during the Angels game tonight...

[jobycom]

6. I didn't see that

The Angels had some bad breaks. Wasn't there a play in the controversial game where someone was called out who was safe by a mile? I just saw a quick replay of it. I don't remember which team was called out, though.

[petronius]

7. That rings a bell...

there were a few missed calls at the bases, but they seemed about evenly divided. It was the home plate stuff that hosed the Angels. Well, that and Chicago's pitching.