HappyYoungster.com

My name is Nick.  I'm an AWOL patient at a nearby mental hospital...well, not really.  I am crazy about baseball, though.

I was born and raised near Green Bay,Wisconsin.  I now reside in the shadows of Miller Park.  No, I am not homeless.

Yes, but I wish I didn't.  Then I would have more time for baseball. 

I currently work in law enforcement (not a mall cop).

I chase baseballs (ballhawk) because it makes me feel like I'm a part of the game.  All I've ever wanted since I was old enough to run was to be a professional baseball player.  When certain dreams were not realized, ballhawking became the next best thing.  It has brought me closer to the professional game and has introduced me to thousands of cool players, media personalities and fans alike.

Yes.  I've done many interviews both on the radio and on television since my ballhawking career started.  I've been a featured story on all the major news outlets in Milwaukee. 

Click here to watch my Fox 6 story called "Perry's People." 

Click here to watch a plug from TMJ4 Milwaukee.

 Click here to watch my Channel 12 interview.

Here for another.

 Click HERE for my interview on 910 AM in Phoenix, Arizona. 

I've also had plugs on ESPN's Baseball Tonight, This Week in Baseball and CNN (one of my catches made CNN's best sports plays of the year 2000).

I've also had a few stories written.  

Click here.

Yeah, it was nothing much.  Karl Ravech was doing highlights of the Astros vs. Brewers game on May 12, 2000 and highlighted a catch I made in the bleachers off the bat of Henry Blanco.  "Great catch by that fan."  I told you it was nothing much.

My current total is 1,022.  But the important number to me is Game Home Run baseballs.  That total now stands at 54.  Most of my effort has gone into catching the long balls hit during actual MLB games...those have the truest meaning.

Understand this.  Every ballhawk has his own unique standards of counting "baseballs snagged."  Mine are as follows:

1.  Baseballs hit during batting practice.

2.  Baseballs thrown to me during batting practice.

3.  Baseballs retrieved through some sort of other trickery, scheming, plotting, gadgets, etc.  As long as I was the first fan to obtain possession of the baseball...it counts.

4.  Baseballs hit during games.

5.  Baseballs thrown to me during games, in-between innings, warm-up baseballs, etc.

6.  I do not count Spring Training baseballs toward my statistics.

7.  Am I forgetting anything?  

A good majority of the Batting Practice baseballs I get I give to smaller fans.  As long as they are making an effort themselves to get a ball and their parents look friendly and well mannered.  Like me, right?

All game baseballs go home with me.  Whether they are game home runs or just game baseballs, I don't give those away.

Yes.  I try to get all of my game home run baseballs signed by the player who hit the home run.  I also try to get that player to date the baseball and inscribe what career home run it was for him (some players like Marquis Grissom are too busy to accomodate ALL of those requests).  MOST players are really cool about signing their game home runs, though.

 Regular game baseballs I try to get signed, too.  Usually, by one player who had an impact in that particular game (like the starting pitcher).

I collect a ton of signed memorabilia, game used memorabilia, ticket stubs, etc. While I purchase many of these, it's truly special when I get it directly from the player. 

Have you ever played 500?  You know, the game where everyone tries to catch the same baseball at once?  That's about the extent of it. 

I do not threaten to harm anyone.  I do not hit people.  I do not kick people.  I do not trample children of any age.  I do not pull someone's glove arm/hand down the second before the baseball is about to come (like some old jerk in Cleveland did to me a few years back).  I do not intentionally make contact with anyone. 

Understand that contact is sometimes inevitable.  Especially in a crowd.  To be a respected ballhawk you need to retrieve the baseball in a spirited, competitive, good-natured fashion. 

Breaking these unwritten rules is for the people who can't actually catch the baseball themselves.  They have to use other tactics to make up for their own deficiencies.

I play by the rules.

Nothing that belongs in Cooperstown.  But, I have caught a few big ones.

My first game home run was hit by 500 home run club member JIM THOME.

I've snagged three game home runs hit by future 500 home run club member CARLOS LEE and four game home runs hit by PRINCE FIELDER.

I snagged the 100th home run (as a Milwaukee Brewer) hit by JEROMY BURNITZ.

I snagged RAUL CASANOVA'S first career grand slam home run.

I snagged MIKE BENJAMIN'S last career game home run.

I snagged a JEFF BAGWELL game home run (his career ended too soon).

I snagged the 200th career home run hit by GEOFF JENKINS.

I snagged the home run hit by RYAN BRAUN the day he signed his big contract with the Brewers.

I snagged CHRIS COGHLAN's 1st career home run.

Among others...

Ryan Braun-Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder.  This kid can flat out rake.  He hits for average and power.  Has a good head on his shoulders, too!  He's from California and has superstar written all over him.

It could be for any number of reasons.  A good majority of people just don't understand and don't want to understand what we do.  They stereotype us all as big bullies or oversized nerds.  Tsk tsk...