The Most Notorious Giveaways, Stunts, and Spectacles in Baseball History

A souvenir baseball sounds like one of the safest promotions imaginable until thousands of them are placed in the hands of frustrated fans. That was the uncomfortable lesson at Dodger Stadium on August 10, 1995, during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers were in a pennant race, Hideo Nomo was part of the team’s excitement that season, and the giveaway seemed like a natural fit for a baseball crowd. Then the balls started flying back onto the field.