Jennifer Valdivia, 12, holds the record-setting baseball after it was returned this week to her. She'd have to sue to get the ball back.
This is the story of a baseball and the big leagues, of a young girl, a slugger and a lawsuit. It's about another stain on America's pastime -- commercialism colliding with a kid's innocent joy.
Jennifer's big catch was the 200th home run for Ryan Howard, an All-Star for the Philadelphia Phillies. The 29-year-old first baseman achieved the milestone faster than any player in Major League history, in his 658th career game, 48 fewer games than the previous record.
The ballclub wanted to give the ball to its star player. And that's where things got complicated.Read the rest