The Yankees have had pretty good luck acquiring most of the home run balls hit by Aaron Judge that led to his matching Roger Maris for the American League single season and Yankee team records.
There’s one they don’t have, though and the story behind it is one collectors of all means can probably relate to.
Judge hit his 59th homer in Milwaukee on September 18. According to this story by Outkick, It ricocheted into the hands of Brewers fan Peter Sierra.
Security representatives approached him about trading the ball back to the Yankees in exchange for some autographs. Sierra resisted and fans who watched the scenario unfold began making offers.
Bryant Junco, another fan who is running for a seat on the City of Milwaukee Common Council, made a deal with Sierra, paying him $1,500 for the ball. Junco says security people left, telling Junco they wouldn’t authenticate the ball if he left the stadium with it.
A medical technician by trade, Junco even flew to New York in an effort to meet with the team and Major League Baseball but his efforts to have it authenticated were, not surprisingly, rebuffed. Junco told Outkick that MLB did offer to turn the ball over to its authentication team but that it “would become property of Major League Baseball.”
ESPN reported that the Yankees have the balls from Judge’s 56th, 57th, 58th and 60th home runs after fans agreed to turn them over. Judge’s 61st bounded away from two fans in Toronto and into the Blue Jays bullpen.
The baseballs all bear special markings visible only under a black light and Junco says he’s used one to see those markings.
He says he’s unsure whether he’ll keep the ball or put it up for sale.
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