Two fans chased down a home run ball like it was a Black Friday deal
Every year while millions of Americans gather with their families to celebrate Thanksgiving, a brave and dedicated few set up chairs and tents outside their nearest department stores and shopping malls to pursuit of the best bargains of the year. Who needs a turkey-centric feast when you can get a television the size of a moving truck for $100?
If you've ever watched the local news the day after Thanksgiving, you know that the competition for those deals can be fierce as dozens of people race through the store to be the first to claim a scarce number of unbelievably cheap TVs.
As it turns out, home run balls can produce a similar clamor. On Friday, Tigers first baseman Niko Goodrum hit a home run into an empty area of the stands and two fans found themselves in a scene not unlike those found on Black Friday.
As these fans found out in a series of awkward tumbles in the stands, the principles of scarcity apply just as well regardless of whether we're talking about a major appliance or a baseball. And -- who knows? -- maybe they'll get a rematch in late November.
Eric Chesterton is a writer for MLB.com. He is an appreciator of the stolen base, the bunt against the shift and nearly every unconventional uniform design. He eagerly awaits Jamie Moyer's inevitable comeback.
