The Guy Who Caught A-Rod’s 3,000th Hit Finally Makes His Demands To The Yankees

On Friday, Alex Rodriguez got his 3,000th hit on a home run against the Tigers. The man who caught the souvenir at Yankee Stadium wasn’t an ordinary fan, but rather 37-year-old Zack Hample of Manhattan, a self-described ballhawk with more than 8,000 balls in his possession. He even wrote a book about the art of catching balls at stadiums.

The Yankees offered Hample a number of souvenirs in an attempt to get it back. He politely declined. The Yankees offered him tickets and several appearances on the YES Network. Again, he politely declined.

So, what does Hample want? According to NJ.com, a donation to Pitch In For Baseball, a charity he has reportedly raised $40,000 for.

Hample said he wants the Yankees to “perhaps make a large donation to the charity and just basically offer support.” As of May 30, according to Hample’s blog, he’s raised more than $40,000 since 2009 for Pitch In For Baseball.

That sounds all fine and dandy and philanthropic, but this boils down to Hample cashing in on a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“I could sell the ball at an auction for a lot of money and then turn over the money to the charity,” Hample said. “I’ve certainly been hearing from a lot of auction houses. But the Yankees came to me, and I really like how they have handled everything and we’re trying to figure out a way that could work out.”

If you’re wondering how Hample’s handling all the fame, just head over to his Twitter account.

The two sides are reportedly close to a deal, but we’re skeptical. This may very well end up at an auction house when it’s all said and done.