Man Who Caught Historic Cal Raleigh Home Run Ball Gives It Away to Kid

Now that’s a winning move!

A Seattle Mariners fan snagged a historic home run ball during the team’s Wednesday, Sept. 24 game — that of catcher Cal Raleigh, who joined an elite club with his 60th home run.

What he did next, though, has fans talking just as much as the historic feat itself: the Mariners fan gave the ball — potentially worth six figures on the open market — to a child who was next to him in the right field stands.

The man, who has yet to be identified, was seen handing over the ball to the nearby kid in a now-viral video circling social media. Fans in the surrounding section can be heard in shock, baffled that the man gave away such a coveted possession.

Then, the camera cuts back to the man who’s seen smiling and tipping his hat to a roaring crowd around him after the sweet gesture. The young boy then leaves the seating area with his dad and security, who escorted them out to have the ball authenticated.

Mariners media relations told The Athletic that the kid who gained possession of the monumental ball traded it in for a bat signed by Raleigh. He was also invited to attend batting practice on the field at a future game, per the outlet.

The coveted ball is the product of a home run that made Raleigh just the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 homers in a season, and further added to his new titles this season — he now has the most homers in a season in Mariners franchise history, the most homers in a season by a switch-hitter and the most homers in a season for a catcher.

Meanwhile, the search to identify the mystery man is still on. After a slew of social media posts praising the kind soul, the Mariners made a public plea to find the unidentified person.

“The Mariners would love to get in contact with this incredible fan. If you know him, please DM!” wrote the team’s senior manger of communications Adam Gresch on X after the game.

As of Thursday, Sept. 25, the man has not yet come forward.

This isn’t the first time the snag of a home run ball has topped headlines this season. In fact, among the most viral moments happened just earlier this month at a Philadelphia Phillies matchup against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 5.

A father named Drew Feltwell and his young son Lincoln were in attendance when a home run, hit by Harrison Bader, came their way at LoanDepot Park. Drama ensued after a woman demanded the ball from them after the dad and son secured it.

Feltwell broke his silence on the MLB altercation in the days that followed.

He explained to NBC 10 Philadelphia that he is “still in disbelief that she walked down there like that,” but he is instead more focused on “just trying to set an example of how to de-escalate a situation in front of my son.”