7 Things You Must Do If You’re Lucky Enough to Catch Judge’s HR Ball
Every home run hit by Aaron Judge going forward is going to be a valuable historic baseball worth a lot of money. The 61st home run ball that ties the Roger Maris record will be huge, the 62nd that breaks the record will be huge, and then every homer thereafter will potentially have high value. While there's no guarantee he'll hit number 61, it certainly seems inevitable and that means the person who catches that home run ball needs to be ready, according to Action Network.
Here are the 7 things that you must do immediately after catching the home run ball.
1. Immediately after the ball is caught, get security to escort you to someplace where you can get the ball authenticated by Major League Baseball. My guess is, they'll be ready for you.
2. You could opt to give the ball to Judge, which means you should be able to get "fair market value" for the wonderful deed. All estimates show right now that the balls could be worth upwards of $50,000.
3. If you keep the ball, some people won't be happy. Make sure you get escorted out of the park by security. If you're taking public transportation, you might be better off calling for a car.
4. Action Network recommends that once you're home and the ball is secure, "get on the phone to a trusted lawyer to join you on a call to a few auction houses. You want someone to have your back during that process. Expect to pay a “buyers’ premium” to the auction house. That charge is typically 17% to 25%, and there’s no getting around it," they say.
5. Once you settle on a deal, make sure you get it all in writing. If your attorney is even marginally decent, he or she will already have handled this. Just make sure it's done properly. The auction house will begin to market the ball.
6. If you catch "the" record breaking/tie ball, your name will begin to get around so get ready for the media blitz. If you're good at the public interviews, make sure you consult your attorney and begin to help promote the auction house. If you're uncomfortable with public interviews, ask your attorney to help.
7. Get ready because after the sale, taxes will be due after the auction house completes the sale.
Keep in mind, if Judge hits the home run at Toronto, you'll be in another country. Just be aware that laws in Canada are different so be sure to revert back to point number 4, and consult your attorney.