Yankees slugger Aaron Judge finally hit the home run we’ve all been waiting for. It’s been 61 years since Roger Maris hit 61 homers for New York, and now Judge has passed him in the record books. That’s a special moment, and Mike Francesa is annoyed that’s not the only thing we’re talking about on Wednesday.
Since that ball found its way over the fence, there’s been ample coverage on the fan who caught it. The dude doesn’t necessarily need the money from a ball that could fetch up to $2 million. We don’t know what the guy’s plans are for this piece of history yet.
Regardless of what happens, Francesa woke up grumpy about it:
Here is what is wrong with sports: what happens to the baseball gets almost as much attention as Judge hitting the historic HR. Just crazy!
— Mike Francesa (@MikeFrancesa) October 5, 2022
This is one of those classic “get off my lawn” moments from the sports media veteran. Like, honestly, is this actually that big of a deal? It’s not as if Judge hasn’t gotten enough attention from this chase and the actual moment he broke Maris’ AL home run record. Just about everywhere you look on the interwebs, there’s something about the Yankees slugger securing his place in history.
Also, what’s the problem with the ball (and the fan who caught it) getting some attention? This is a huge moment! Not all of us are Zack Hample, after all — catching a home run at an MLB game is a rare feat.
Baseball is a game rooted in its own history. And we’re not just talking about the historic moments, this includes all pieces of that moment. Why do you think the National Baseball Hall of Fame wants a player’s helmet, gloves, bats, spikes, uniforms, and God knows what else after something amazing happens?
Judge’s home run ball easily falls into that category. Baseball is a wonderful game, but it’s also entertainment. Without the fans, players wouldn’t be able to do the things they currently do. So, yea — in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m OK with the ball and the fan who caught it also getting attention. And no, I don’t think they’re getting the same amount as Judge’s moment.
Just sit back and enjoy what you just saw, Mike!
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.