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2014 Fan Catch Hall of Fame: The Class of June

The three best fan catches of June

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 April and the Class of May.

After a solid May class, we had many, many quality applicants to the Fan Catch Hall of Fame for the month of June. Unfortunately, we can only induct a select few. 

Nevertheless, we'd like to take a moment to spotlight some of these almost-inductees. Please watch the following GIF with this song as the soundtrack:

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Now, to the newest inductees!

 

6/15/2014 -- Rockies at Giants

DadCatch.gif

What we said then:

How did he celebrate the catch? Did he jump up and down, collecting high fives? Did he accidentally spike the baby a la Naked Gun 33 1/3? Nope, he played it cool as if catching home run balls while carrying a child was no more exciting than his morning cup of coffee.

What we say now:

This catch did very, very well among our voters. The degree of difficulty here is apparent -- not only does this guy have to catch a home run without a glove, he's got to do it while holding a child. This is, needless to say, difficult.

The fact that his prop was a living thing seems to have aided him well, but his post-catch flair was held back slightly by the lack of any meaningful celebration.

This brings to light an interesting question: is the lack of a celebration, in itself, a celebration? It's a similar debate to the one we had last month with Whalers fan. Either way, it didn't hurt Nonchalant Dad too badly as he's now ascended to the top spot on the FCHoF.

Final Score:

Dad.gif

 

6/19/2014 -- Royals at Tigers

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What we said then:

This fan at Thursday's Royals-Tigers game may not have caught Mike Moustakas' foul ball on the fly, but he did play it perfectly off a Comerica Park facing ... while backpedaling down some stadium steps ... and leaping high into the air ... and sacrificing some BUTTERY GOODNESS:

What we say now:

This fan scored his highest mark in the "degree of difficulty" category, and rightfully so. He's backpedaling down a flight of stairs, with his hands full, all while trying to make a tough catch. That is insanely hard.

Unfortunately, this fan also spilled another fan's beer in the process, which is universally regarded as a "party foul". For that reason, he can't get full marks in any other category -- least of all "artistry."

Nevertheless, this is one of the more athletic fan catches you'll see, and that's worth honoring in the FCHoF.

Final Score:

Backpedaler

 

6/08/14 -- Marlins at Cubs

CubsFan.gif

What we said then:

Now, I'm no lip reader, but I'm pretty sure he's saying:

"WHOOOO! I caught the ball. This is the ball I caught! And I am finally happy and fulfilled with my life because of this ball. All the stresses of work and home life have disappeared. The sleepless nights spent questioning the purpose of existence have melted away. And it's all thanks to this baseball. Goodbye!"

What we say now:

In case you're curious, here's his actual catch:

CubFanCatch.gif

Obviously, his induction to the FCHoF has little to do with the catch itself -- it's all about the celebration. We'd show it to you again, but it's really too scary to embed on this page twice.

Believe it or not, this fan scored three perfect-10s from the voters in his post-catch flair category, which has not been done in the storied history of the Hall of Fame. Whether you view it as terrifying or beautifully jovial, you have to admit this fan has a lot of flair.

Unfortunately, the lack of sleeves hurt him severely on the artistry front.

Final Score:

Fan

Well, it looks like Popcorn Pirate has finally been dethroned and Nonchalant Dad is our new reigning top catch! Check back in August 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.