Zack Hample facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zack Hample
Hample in 2008
Born	Zachary Ben Hample (1977-09-14) September 14, 1977 (age 47) New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Guilford College
Occupation	Collector
Years active	1990–present
Known for	Collecting baseballs
Parent(s)	Stoo Hample (father)

Zachary "Zack" Hample (born September 14, 1977) is an American who loves collecting baseballs. He is famous for catching over 12,000 baseballs at Major League Baseball (MLB) stadiums. These include important balls like Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th career hit and Mike Trout's first home run.

Sometimes, Zack Hample has faced criticism from sports writers, players, and fans. This is usually because of his determined ways of trying to catch baseballs.

Early Life and Baseball Dreams

Zack Hample grew up in New York City. His father, Stoo Hample, was a well-known author and cartoonist. Zack became interested in baseball when he was five years old.

He played baseball in college for the Guilford Quakers team. He studied English at Guilford College. When he was younger, Zack hoped to play in Major League Baseball. Later, he started focusing on collecting baseballs instead.

Zack's Baseball Collection Journey

Zack caught his very first baseball at a game in 1990 at Shea Stadium. He calls catching foul balls a "passion." He says that once he caught his first ball, he just wanted more and more.

By 2012, Zack had caught 6,000 baseballs. By 2022, he said he had collected 12,000 balls. He even created a special tool to help him catch balls at stadiums. It was made from a baseball glove, a rubber band, and a pen.

Zack also shares his adventures on YouTube. He has many subscribers who watch his videos about "ballhawking," which is the hobby of catching baseballs at games. He sometimes hires people to film him while he is at games. Zack also offers a special "concierge service." For a fee, he will go to games with fans and help them catch balls.

Famous Catches and Moments

In 2008, Zack caught the last home run hit by the Mets at Shea Stadium. On April 18, 2013, he caught two home run balls in one game at Yankee Stadium. One of these was the first career home run for shortstop Didi Gregorius. He also caught the first home runs for Mike Trout and Mike Nickeas. Another notable catch was Barry Bonds' 724th home run.

Hample holding up a ball he caught during the 2021 Home Run Derby

In June 2015, Zack caught Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th career hit. This hit was a home run. Zack decided to give the ball back to Rodriguez. As part of this agreement with the Yankees, the team donated $150,000 to Pitch in for Baseball and Softball. This charity helps provide baseball equipment to kids who need it. Zack also received some special items for himself, like an autographed jersey and bats. He also got a tour of the stadium and tickets to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.

In 2017, the company Topps made a special Zack Hample baseball card. This card was part of their 2017 Topps Archives set.

In August 2022, Zack tried to enter a special section at Coors Field that required a specific ticket. He wanted to catch a home run ball hit by Nolan Arenado. Security guards told him he needed to stay in his own seat. Zack agreed, but he shared his thoughts about the experience. After this event, the Portland Pickles, a summer baseball team, announced that Zack was not allowed to attend games at their stadium. Zack later removed a video about the incident and posted an apology.

Books by Zack Hample

Zack Hample has written several books about baseball. He also used to write for MiLB.com. His first book, How to Snag Major League Baseballs (1999), teaches people how to catch baseballs at games.

His second book, Watching Baseball Smarter (2007), helps people understand the rules and details of baseball. Many critics liked this book. Craig Smith from The Seattle Times said it was the best book he had seen for explaining baseball. Publishers Weekly called it a very helpful book for fans.

In 2011, Zack published his third book, The Baseball: Stunts, Scandals, and Secrets Beneath the Stitches. This book tells the story of baseballs throughout history. Mike Shannon, an editor for Spitball magazine, said it was the "new authority" on the topic. Kirkus Reviews also gave it a good review, saying it had many interesting facts for baseball fans.

Zack Hample Documentary

In 2022, a documentary film called Zack Hample vs the World was released. Jeff Siegel produced, directed, wrote, and filmed this movie over eight years. It was first shown at the Baseball Hall Of Fame Film Festival in 2019. Zack Hample said that he always dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame, and in a way, he was.

Critics reviewed the documentary. Jeff Ames from Comingsoon.net gave it a good score, saying it was entertaining. Stephen Silver from Tilt said that the film made Zack Hample more interesting to him.

Other Activities

Helicopter Baseball Catches

On July 2, 2012, Zack Hample tried to catch a baseball dropped from a helicopter. The helicopter was 1,000 feet above LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. He wore special catcher's gear. He successfully caught a softball dropped from 312 feet. Then, he caught baseballs dropped from 562 feet and 822 feet. The attempt was stopped because of strong winds.

On July 13, 2013, Zack tried again at LeLacheur Park. This time, he successfully caught a baseball dropped from 1,050 feet! However, Guinness World Records does not officially recognize this catch as a record. This is because no one from their organization was there to check it.

Video Games

Zack Hample is also a skilled video game player. He appeared briefly in a 2007 documentary called The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. He holds official world records on several classic video games. These include Breakout and Arkanoid.

Helping Others: Fundraising

Since 2009, Zack Hample has worked with Pitch in for Baseball and Softball. This is a non-profit charity that gives baseball and softball equipment to children who are less fortunate. By 2019, he had helped raise over $200,000 for the organization. He raises money with the help of his fans, who promise to donate money for every baseball he catches. He also gets support from companies like BIGS Sunflower Seeds.

Personal Life

Zack Hample lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He is Jewish.

His family owns and runs Argosy Book Store. This bookstore was featured in a 2019 documentary called The Booksellers.

Filmography