Addison Barger made baseball history by hitting the first pinch-hit grand slam in the World Series – and that ball is now up for auction at Sotheby’s for US$3,200.
Barger stepped onto the field during Game 1 at the bottom of the sixth inning and proved that pinch hitters can change the tide of a competitive match.
A pinch-hit grand slam is a rare feat where a substitute batter hits a home run with the bases loaded, scoring four runs in total.
The ball gave the Blue Jays a 9-2 lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series on Oct. 25.
The ball’s Sotheby’s listing has since been certified and shows the ball’s official World Series markings. Sotheby’s calls the ball “one of the defining moments of Toronto’s historic postseason run.” Austin Jenkins, a Blue Jays fan in the stands, caught it.
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“Sitting 10 rows up above the right field wall, I caught Addison Barger’s sixth-inning grand slam. The ball has remained in my possession since,” wrote Jenkins in a note of authenticity attached to the listing.
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This isn’t the only Barger memorabilia to draw attention from fans.
Earlier this month, the Toronto Marriott City Centre put a sofa bed on display, the same one Barger reportedly slept on at teammate Davis Schneider’s place the night before his historic grand slam.
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