Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

2014 Fan Catch Hall of Fame: The Class of August

2014 Fan Catch Hall of Fame: The Class of August

Each month, the Cut4 staff nominates a few worthy fan snares for enshrinement in the Fan Catch Hall of Fame. Those catches are then judged on four criteria: degree of difficulty, artistry, use of props (if applicable) and post-catch flair. The scores are averaged together, with the resulting final tally used to rank catches throughout the season. Click here for the Class of AprilClass of MayClass of June and Class of July.

Our top-rated fan catch, Nonchalant Dad, did not face any stiff competition in July. In fact, our highest scoring snare from July scored a full 1.4 points lower than the reigning king -- not nearly enough to pose a significant challenge.

Will any of the best fan catches from the month of August earn a high enough score to unseat the champ? Let's find out.

But first, let's take one more look at Nonchalant Dad and his 8.4 rating that must be beat:

NonchalantDad.gif

Perhaps it's his great flair for life, expressive face and enthusiastic attitude that keeps him in the top spot.

Or something. On to the best of August:

07/28/14 -- Blue Jays at Red Sox

BeerBro.gif

What we said then:

A fan stood from his seat and grabbed a ball off the bat of Jose Bautista with one hand while holding a beer in the other. Before he even sits down, he reaches two rows in front of him to gift the ball to a young Red Sox fan. That's text-book foul ball game right there, folks.

What we say now:

This one barely missed the cutoff for the FCHoF Class of July, but it managed to still stand tall after another month of fan snares.

What's fun about this GIF is how it looks almost like the ball was magnetically attracted to this guy's hand. And you know what? Maybe it was.

Maybe that baseball knew what this guy was all about: not only would he make an excellent barehanded catch (while holding a beer, I might add), but he would also make sure to pass it on to the young fan in front of him. High marks all around -- from all of our FCHoF voters.

Final score:

BeerBro

 

08/10/14 -- Rockies at D-backs

MasterOfPhysics.gif

What we said then:

A sense of timing, skill and patience have to all be taken into consideration when dealing with the carom, and this kid during Sunday's Rockies-D-backs game showed he's got what it takes.

What we say now:

Most people take years to accrue the necessary body of work and level of in-depth knowledge required to earn a PhD. For some, that process can take the better part of a decade, just for the privilege of prefacing their name with "Dr."

But this fan in Arizona has already demonstrated his mastery of the immutable laws of physics -- laws which govern every action and interaction taking place in our universe. What more does he have to prove? What else could he possibly teach us that he hasn't already in this one fantastic catch?

Let's give this kid a Doctorate. He's earned it. 

Final score:

MasterOfPhysics

 

08/25/14 -- Marlins at Angels

JazzedAngelsFan.gif

What we said then:

Moments before the catch, he asked a friend to borrow his glove, saying, "The next pitch, I bet I'll catch a fly ball, a foul ball. And then the next pitch, I caught it."

What we say now:

Whereas our last FCHoF inductee was a master of physics, this one is clearly some sort of soothsayer. 

Not only did he make a great catch, but he predicted the entire thing would happen. Keep in mind, he's sitting directly behind the screen behind home plate, making the odds of catching a foul ball rather low.

Nevertheless, he was proven right -- and celebrated accordingly:

AngelsFan.gif

Final score:

High Five

Once again, no one could topple the machine that is Nonchalant Dad. Check back in October to see which new snares made the cut, and click here to see the full 2014 Fan Catch Hall of Fame rankings.

If you'd like to nominate a catch for enshrinement in the FCHoF, tweet us at @Cut4 and let us know.

And remember:

If you find yourself at the ballpark, with a foul tip coming right toward you, keep your eye on the ball. Immortality awaits.