Sunday September 24, 2023
The Best Employers in Sports Survey is Now Open!

Fan With 62nd Home Run Ball Faces Million-Dollar Decision

  • Aaron Judge's 62nd home run ball could be worth millions.
  • The fan who caught it was unsure what he would do with it following the catch.
Aaron-Judge-home-run
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

As he steps down as chair of Fox and News Corp., we discuss his monumental and ongoing impact.
Listen Now
September 22, 2023 | Podcast
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who is expected to sign a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars this offseason, may have made another millionaire with one historic swing on Tuesday night.

Texas Rangers fan Cory Youmans caught Judge’s 62nd home run ball, which broke the American League single-season record set by Roger Maris in 1961.

  • When asked what he planned to do with the ball shortly after catching it, Youmans replied, “That’s a good question. I haven’t thought about it.”
  • Many have estimated that the ball could be worth millions.
  • “It’d be great to get it back, but you know, that’s a souvenir for a fan,” Judge said after the game. “They made a great catch out there, and they’ve got every right to it.”

Judge’s 60th home run ball was caught by a fan and exchanged for four autographed balls, a signed game bat, and a meeting with Judge. His 61st landed in the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen and was given to Judge, who gave it to his mother, Patty.

Judge’s run at the record caused a surge in ticket demand. Sales on StubHub for the Yankees’ final regular-season homestand jumped 60%, with bleacher seats more than doubling in price.

Good Judgment

Judge, 30, turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer from the Yankees prior to this season. That decision could earn him an additional $100 million, as the Yankees will have to bid against the other 29 teams to retain the services of the likely American League MVP.

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Big-12

Texas, Oklahoma's Big 12 Exit Could Have Cost $60M More

The school's move to the SEC is costing about $100 million.
Sponsored

NHL’s Chris Foster on Amplifying Content Distribution With Automation

Learn how the NHL is using WSC Sports to increase fan engagement.
A view of the Spurs club badge on the exterior of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Tottenham, Valued At $2.8B, Says It's Open To Stake Sale

The club's chairman says new minority investors could come on board.

England Women’s Team Resolves Pay Dispute After WWC Success

Agreement arrives a month after the end of the 2023 Women's World Cup
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Deion Sanders with The Rock on ESPN's "College GameDay."

Deion Sanders Generated $45M In Earned Media For Colorado

From Sept.1-22, Sanders generated $45.7M for the public university.
September 23, 2023

Up Next For College Football Playoffs: More Change, Money, And ... Streaming?

Many changes are coming to the CFP when it expands to 12 teams.
September 22, 2023

Warriors Stake Reportedly Up For Sale at $7B Valuation

A 10% stake in the franchise could cost $700 million.
September 22, 2023

Jaguars Threaten Move Without $1B From Jacksonville Taxpayers

The Jagaurs are hoping to renovate TIAA Bank Field for $2 billion.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago
Fanatics
New York
Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, Inc.
USA - Multiple Locations
Eli-Manning-New-York-Giants

Eli Manning: Keep MetLife Field Turf

Eli Manning feels that MetLife Stadium should keep its artificial turf field.
Joe Burrow’s $275 million deal makes him the league’s highest-paid player, with an average annual salary of $55 million per year.
September 11, 2023

The 10 Highest-Paid NFL Quarterbacks

Burrow's $275M extension is second to Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs deal.
Travis Kelce
September 7, 2023

Travis Kelce Talks Positional Values, Players Sports Betting Ahead of NFL Season

Kelce says tight ends should be paid off of production metrics.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is by far the NFL's highest paid player for this season.
September 7, 2023

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Players for 2023

Lamar Jackson will make almost double the second-highest paid player.
September 6, 2023

Mahomes Creating New Model For Athlete Investments

Two-time champion building extensive sports investment portfolio
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium.
September 6, 2023

Reddick: Inside Linebacker Pay Going In ‘Right Direction’

Haason Reddick is glad that inside linebackers are hitting new salary heights.
August 31, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Sports Empire Is Only Getting Bigger

NBA superstar's investment in TGL team expands business portfolio
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers have invested in LAGC, the TGL golf team owned by the Williams sisters and Alexis Ohanian.
August 30, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo Invests in TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club

LAGC is owned by Alexis Ohanian, Serena, and Venus Williams.