Civilian crashes a Fort Bragg baseball game for military members, sparking outrage
Despite being the social-media savvy guy that I am (what’s Snapchat again?), sometimes I am woefully unaware of some well-known people out there (this is not necessarily a bad thing).
Case in point: Zack Hample, who is known as Foul Ball Guy. As his Twitter account notes, he is a baseball collector.
On Sunday, he tweeted this:
Fort Bragg commemorative baseballs? Oh yes! Martin Prado just tossed this to me after the 3rd inning. pic.twitter.com/OQoGJfExbR
— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 4, 2016
That’s Hample at the Marlins-Braves game played Sunday at Fort Bragg, N.C. As this MLB.com story says, tickets for the game were limited to military personnel. Hemple is not in the military, and this Sports Illustrated story notes that he apparently used social media to buy a ticket.
Some people were not pleased to see his tweet. The 82nd Airborne Division, which is based in Fort Bragg, led the charge:
Delete your account. https://t.co/DHYwUuRHbL
— 82nd Airborne Div (@82ndABNDiv) July 4, 2016
@82ndABNDiv @zack_hample My family lost the raffle. My dad use to serve in the military. I live like 20 minutes away. But he gets to go. Hmm
— OGBrianC18 (@OGBrianC) July 4, 2016
@zack_hample Zack, that game CLOSED to NON department of Defense Employees and their family. Give any balls u have to kids and leave. NOW.
— Marlins_Man (@Marlins_Man) July 4, 2016
@zack_hample Always liked you & defended you, but this is despicable. You're literally stealing from armed service members & their families.
— Dayton from Nebraska (@BravesAmerica) July 4, 2016
.@jeannathomas @kamarimw my son is stationed there and couldn't get a ticket - not even one, much less for family. somehow @zack_hample did
— Beth (@beth_lee) July 4, 2016
@zack_hample you took a baseball away from a soldier or their child…real class act
— BMG (@Bravesmeme) July 4, 2016
@Aherr44 Considering this game is for the military and their family. For him to be there, is wrong. He took a seat away from a soldier.
— Kris L. (@ttiger2004) July 4, 2016
Realizing the beating he was taking on Twitter, Hample tried to quiet the dissent (but it didn’t work):
I got 11 balls today and gave 10 away. As promised, I'll be writing an $1,100 check to https://t.co/B7S73jb999. Please everyone, calm down.
— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 4, 2016
FYI, I got my ticket through a friend whose entire unit got 'em. He was gonna bring his GF who doesn't like baseball so he took me instead.
— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 4, 2016
.@zack_hample then why did you do this? pic.twitter.com/fX7EHsbOWF
— RT Ohio (@RT_Ohio) July 4, 2016
@zack_hample you went on tinder and begged for tickets. You're bad.
— Brady (@HPJoker) July 4, 2016
UPDATE: Hample apologized for his actions.
I am deeply sorry for going to Fort Bragg. There's lots of misinformation, so here's what really happened: pic.twitter.com/nld9YgGXAe
— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 4, 2016
Just donated to @AMVETSNational. HUGE thanks to all military service members past and present, including my dad. pic.twitter.com/pUSEkNlx8K
— Zack Hample (@zack_hample) July 4, 2016
Pete Grathoff: 816-234-4330, @pgrathoff
This story was originally published July 4, 2016 at 10:31 AM.