Detroit Wednesday night again, Ely Hydes, Sterling Carter and John Shina, three friends of the Peace Corps, planned to travel to Cedar Point on Thursday.

But they took a fresh look at the forecasts and on Thursday morning, they decided that staying under the crackling rain to fly the GateKeeper was not their idea of ​​a bygone era. Instead, they chose to stay local for a Tigers game, weather permitting.

It turns out that Hydes, a 33-year-old law student living in Detroit, still managed to roll in the roller coaster.

Beginning Thursday afternoon, Hydes had his very first baseball ball souvenir – a record for history books, after sneaking to ensure possession of Albert's balloon. Pujols for the third round, which represented the 2,000th goal of his Los Angeles Angels career. .

Only three other men, at least officially, reached 2,000 points produced and only five men unofficially.

"When I sat down, eight seconds later, a guy went over with a baseball glove and I yelled," Yes, buddy of baseball glove! "I've almost brought mine, but there's no way we have a flyball," Hydes said while he was sitting to his left, to the left of the pole's post. left field, well behind the basket.

"So, just like that (slam your fingers), the crack of the bat, I ran after the ball, and he jumped right over me.

"I did not even see who hit him."

Hydes quickly realized that it was Pujols and quickly that it was a big deal.

Moments later, as the Tigers announced the importance of the home run, Hydes was invaded by supporters – and then quickly by the Tigers' security, who had started the bartering process to return the ball to Pujols. This is where the story takes a sharp turn and somewhat uncomfortable.

In the end, to the chagrin of many fans across the country and on social media as well as several members of the club clubs of the Tigers and Angels Thursday, Hydes decided to keep baseball – either to give to his brother, a fan of a lifetime Cardinals of St. Louis (first team of Pujols) or to pass on to his child, who is expected in two weeks. Despite having at least three ball bids from Tigers and Angels officials, Hydes left before the end of the Tigers' 13-0 loss, with baseball still in their possession.

"I do not want money," he told The News. "I'm mocking."

Standard process

There is a standard process when a fan catches a ball of historical significance. The team starts small with the offer and continues on its way until a resolution is found. More times than otherwise, the ball is handed over.

According to Hydes' friends, the first offer was an autographed Pujols baseball; the second, an autographed balloon and an encounter with Pujols; the third, an autographed balloon by Pujols, a hi-shirt and a Pujols jersey; and the fourth of all, plus some memories of Miguel Cabrera.

The problem, Hydes and his friends said, was that the team's representatives, including the Tigers' security chief, had been scathing from the start, putting pressure on Hydes. Among the interactions, they informed him that, in accordance with the MLB's policy, it was not possible to authenticate it officially because the bullet had been hit on the seat and because of chain of custody issues. (And unlike some milestones, there was no specially marked bullet put into play when Pujols was at the plate.)

The message was that the balloon would not be marketable without authentication, implying that Hydes was seeking cash.

"I think the Tigers really messed up this deal," said Shina, 24, of Detroit.

Carter, 34, of Indiana, said, "The mistake they made was to put him under pressure quickly, especially with him. He is stubborn. It was the wrong way. "

The Tigers challenged the story that Hydes was under pressure.

But Hydes and his friends saw things very differently.

"Next time, try the soft sell," he says. "I do not care about money. It's an inheritance. "

Hydes said the last words of a Tigers leader before pronouncing his last no: "It ends now when I retire."

Pujols will still have plenty of items to remember from the number 2,000, including his bat and the basics of Comerica Park, which were authenticated by the MLB after the match.

But the ball, he can not have, and he said he was okay with that.

"I told the guys: Let him have it. "I think it can have a lot of history," Pujols then told reporters. "We also play this game for fans, and if they want to keep it, I think they have the right. I just hope that he will enjoy it.

When asked if he was considering paying for the ball – like real money, not just loot – Pujols rejected it.

"I would not pay a cent for that," said Pujols. "He can have it. I do not play this game to pay the fans. He can have this piece of history. It's for the fans we play for.

"He has the right to keep it. The ball went into the stands.

Fans on social networks have had stronger reactions than Pujols, many of them are committed to making the ball – which, of course, is easy to say when it is not you who have caught the balloon.

In the Tigers clubhouse, the feeling was similar, although more understandable to the public than the people who are blistering on Twitter.

"I would just say, give it back. He should have some important milestones, as well as his family, and this is probably one of them, "said Tigers director Ron Gardenhire. "And I imagine that if he returned it to him, he would probably get something very kind from Albert."

"That would probably be the right thing to do. I know it's difficult.

Ryan Carpenter, the left-handed Tigers, who dropped out of the third round: "It's hard to say. I will probably return it. I'm sure it's a ball and that memory he is sure he wants forever.

Huge baseball fan

Hydes grew up as a big baseball fan, with his father running a baseball card store.

He remembers that he was 7 years old when his father took him and his brothers on a trek across the country to see all the possible sports fields. The young Hydes has always had his glove. And he never, never had a bullet.

"I still bring my glove sometimes. We brought our baseball gloves faithfully, just to beg for a flying ball, "he said. "And we had so many close calls, and yet we never had one.

"Then I sit down today and …"

Bam. He has one.

So many things had to go well for this to happen. They had to jump Cedar Point. Then they had to decide to leave the Elwood Bar once they had the impression of getting the baseball game. The match had to be played, which did not look so promising in the early afternoon on Thursday. Then the three friends had to end their long and fruitless search for a Hebrew national hot dog (which was no longer sold at Comerica Park).

All the stars finally lined up and Hydes and his friends finally sat in their left seat five to ten minutes before Pujols melted into Carpenter's 2-0 fast-pitched ball.

After Hydes retrieved the ball and understood its meaning, he absorbed his 15 minutes of glory and probably another 55 minutes for good measure. There were interviews, television and print media, local media and West Coast media. And oh, the fans wanted images, a lot of images, some with Hydes and others without him. He was incredibly confident. He casually passed the ball to anyone who simply wanted a selfie with the piece of history without fear of being ripped off.

"Nah. People are good at heart, come on, "said Hydes, who planned to spend a quiet day at the baseball stadium one day after finishing his second-year law final. "Anne Frank!"

While many fans on social networks have sued for keeping the ball, one after the other on the left field – some in Tigers jersey, others in Angels jersey – l & # 39; applauded for being attached to his weapons. He keeps this ball and maybe makes it a Christmas present for his big brother Dylan – the Cardinals' fan who became a fan of the Cardinals because when you grow up in Portland, you have to pick a team.

Unless the Tigers want to make an extra offer.

"Can I buy that balloon," said Hydes, "to bring the Hebrew citizens back to the stadium"?

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Twitter: @ tonypaul1984