MLB | Ballgirl Awesome

I know NOTHING about Baseball MLB... Here are some questions I have from this video:
Do you have to be a girl to be a ball girl?
Do people suck up to the ball girls so that they get given a baseball?
Are all the ball girls athletes as well?
Who do you have to know to be selected as a ball girl?
Can I be a ball girl or is it only teenagers?
Is baseball racially diverse? It doesn’t look like it in this video
Did that Ball girl get hit?
What did that other ball girl do wrong?
Be sure to check out the original compilation at • MLB | Ballgirl Awesome
Special thanks to Brian Ediger
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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[@DianeJennings]

Possibly the most questions I’ve ever had after watching a video! ⚾️ Do you have to be a girl to be a ball girl? Do people suck up to the ball girls so that they get given a baseball? Are all the ball girls athletes as well? Who do you have to know to be selected as a ball girl? Can I be a ball girl or is it only teenagers? Is baseball racially diverse? It doesn’t look like it in this video Did that Ball girl get hit? What did that other ball girl do wrong?

[@kerrykelly3699]

Like I've said before: get a season ticket holder for Red Sox games to let you use one (or two for you and your producer) to come to a Red Sox game in Boston, sit in the season ticket holder section, and ask someone there all of your questions. That will be the best baseball memory you will have, even if they lose!

[@ShaMicKan]

I think only one girl did something wrong. She interfered with a ball in play. Meaning the ball either bounced over the base or to the right of it. She can only touch it if it stays within the foul lines.

[@therandomstranger3951]

There is some team that has ball men. They are senior citizens. I’ll have to look up who it is, they might be minor league. I think one minor league team even tried using dogs.The Texas Rangers had some ball girls that were members of college softball teams for a while too.

[@joyc4467]

It looks like she did get hit. 😱 And the one ball girl on there that was booed or at least yelled at fielded a ball that was fair and not foul. It looked foul but it crossed the base as a fair ball so it was fair. Baseball is racially diverse. Off the top of my head, I’d say the fan base tends to be more white than people of color, but that’s just my own observation. There is no age limit but it takes about 20 hours a week. I think most ball girls are college students. Baseball is a really fun game to play and watch if you know a little about the rules. You should try to see a game the next time you visit! ✌️❤️

[@butchgriggs6325]

It's "Bat Boy" and "Ball Girl"

[@ajalfano]

These girls are usually college softball or baseball players... and are incredibly talented! In college I worked security for the Boston Red Sox and they had me be the ballboy one game (many years ago). It was the most terrifying thing I have ever done. Fortunately for me the game got canceled because of rain so nothing was actually hit to me. But, I can't emphasize enough just how impressive and talented these ballgirls are.

[@craigcampbell1843]

Do they get paid? If they don’t, they should.

[@ajalfano]

@@craigcampbell1843 I do believe it is actually a summer job and not just a volunteer position.

[@craigcampbell1843]

@@ajalfano nice

[@crucisnh]

@@ajalfano I wonder what teams once the universities start their fall semesters (or before schools' spring semesters end). Not all ball girls are likely to attend school near their teams' parks.

[@ajalfano]

@@crucisnh Well, they don't have just one or two ball girls and there are 80 colleges in and around Boston (where I am) with approximately 250,000 students, so...

[@johnrust592]

Along with all the great plays by these ballgirls, it was also nice to once again hear the voice of Vin Scully during the Dodger segments. The GOAT of sportscasters.

[@danielleporter1829]

Yes I totally agree

[@mikecurtis9485]

@@danielleporter1829 my dad was good friends with him and he was and always be Uncle Vinny ro me

[@johnrust592]

@@mikecurtis9485 The athletic trainer at the university in my town worked for the Dodgers for more than 20 years and became good friends with him. Said he was an absolute gentleman.

[@itdano]

Yes. Hearing Vin making calls caused my poor little Dodger loving heart to skip a few beats.

[@adamsmith-wi3qg]

Vin Scully is iconic no doubt. (Harry Kalas is the goat tho 😏)

[@StefanWB]

8:42 I think this is a good representation of how difficult this job actually is. Watch the first base umpire on this play, who's wearing black and standing just behind first base. When a ball lands in the infield and then rolls to the outfield near the base, the umpire has to point fair or foul, so he points into the field of play if the ball is fair and he points out to the dirt towards the crowd if the ball is foul and therefore is fair game for the ballgirl to collect. A baseball when "pulled" will very often curve in the air, meaning it starts in fair territory in the infield before bouncing into the dirt of the outfield as a live ball. The ballgirl can clearly see the umpire in front of her pointing to the infield, indicating a ball that's in play and therefore should NOT be interfered with, but she has to concentrate so hard on a ball that can be hit off the bat at speeds from anywhere between 80-110 MPH that she locks onto the ball and fields it, interfering with play. I'm sure she was absolutely mortified, but honestly it's one of those things that you think would happen more often than it does.

[@DonP_is_lostagain]

In the case of the girl in the video, I don't think she saw the ump call it fair. Can't imagine how horrible that must have felt.

[@bradleycullinan1210]

I love how when Diane gets excited the accent really comes out 🙂

[@johnsample7391]

To answer your question about what the ball girl did wrong: The ball had not gone into foul territory until after it passed first base. The ball was thus still in play and the ball attendant should have left it alone.

[@joeldykman7591]

Its an undertandable mistake and would probably be treated the same way fan interference works. which is i believe a ground rule double.

[@glueball214]

I don't know what was more lovely, Diane's lyrical banter with the youtube audience or the sound of the bat making contact with the ball . Well done Diane. ⚾️🇺🇸🍀

[@DianeJennings]

Aww shucks! Thanks Kimberley

[@richardmead5969]

@@DianeJennings they actually protect the fans from being hit by a 180 kilometer an hour ball

[@davidludwig1492]

This was one of my favorite Diane vids. She sounded like she was really having fun.

[@the_dog_says_moo]

I'm not a huge baseball fan but the crack of the bat has to be the best sound in all of sports

[@spiked200]

The Spider-Girl catch was a commercial. I'd guess that ball boys and ball girls are about even across baseball. Yes, baseball is quite diverse Diane. I don't know if they are paid or volunteers.

[@DianeJennings]

Interesting thanks for the info

[@jeffg.6110]

Diane, I shouldn’t have doubted you. As you moved past the “endear” comment I immediately thought “That wasn’t quite right… I’m surprised ED let that one through.” And then almost as if on cue, there she was in all her sarcastic, sardonic glory. Thank you for sharing ED with us. Or maybe it’s ED, thank you for sharing Diane with us. 🙂🙃

[@erlaed]

Pretty sure "enjoin" is the word she was looking for... loved the catch, though... it was... endearing.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Many, if not most, of these ball girls play competitive softball (a very similar sport to baseball with very similar rules). So, they know how to catch. And they need to because, as you can see, foul balls rocketing down the line are dangerous to inattentive or slow-reacting fans. This past season, after a spate of fans being struck and seriously injured by hard-hit foul balls, all MLB stadiums installed netting from behind home plate all the way down to the foul poles. Ball boys and ball girls are still stationed down the lines to retrieve foul balls and keep up the pace of play. EDIT: it used to be just ball boys until the last couple of decades. Now it's about 50/50. It's a huge honor to get onto a MLB field and hang out with the players. And, that Spider-Girl video went absolutely viral over here.

[@videohound2]

I can only imagine... Wow!

[@lindaclark7868]

Hi, John, Do they get paid or is it all volunteer?

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

@@lindaclark7868 I'm not sure. I know I would have done it for free, myself, if I'd had the chance as a kid.

[@josephcote6120]

In a regular baseball game they may go through dozens of new balls. A big part of the game is the pitcher trying to fool the batter with different kinds of pitches (made by holding the ball certain ways and spinning it different ways.) Any foreign substance on a ball, or a ball that is deliberately damaged by the pitcher can give them an unfair edge and they can be ejected from the game for it. Any ball that was hit hard enough to make it to a ball girl will have a good dent in it, so it would have been replaced with a new ball anyway, might as well hand the old ones out to the fans.

[@Tux.Penguin]

She wouldn’t lose her fingers at 3:42 catching that ball with her bare hand, but it would probably sting for a minute.

[@JasonMoir]

A video you would probably enjoy is best foods at baseball parks. One example replaces the buns in a cheeseburger with two Krispy Kreme donuts. It looks fantastic.

[@DianeJennings]

Stahhhhhhp 🤤

[@kateealer7]

I love how the announcers know their names! It must be awesome to be a ball girl!

[@DianeJennings]

That is particularly cool

[@rohmarts]

Yeah, a class move by the announcers to take the time to get the names, and actually use them on air.

[@Gr8man4sex]

Also great recognition for the girl.

[@christophersmith8316]

At least one case her name was written on the back of her jersey "kate"

[@kateealer7]

@@christophersmith8316 she's in good company, LOL.

[@TR4200]

5:40 The movie scene in Clueless when you’re playing tennis. Amber: “My plastic surgeon doesn’t want me doing any activities where ball’s fly at my nose.” Deion: “There goes your social life.”

[@DianeJennings]

One of my fave films

[@TR4200]

@@DianeJennings 🎵Rolling with my homies🎵

[@pastorbrianediger]

I picked up on the grammatical slip right away. 😉 I don't know that I've seen ball girls at a baseball game before. Then again, it's been a while since I've been to a baseball game. Thank you for the wonderful shout out! 😁

[@DianeJennings]

Lovely shout out

[@richskater]

My first crush (not counting the pink ranger) was a ball girl. She threw me the ball and gave me a wink and I was in love. Honestly, I miss those times of innocence, today even 8 year old boys are considered pervs. When I grew up the female lifeguards at the local waterpark would flirt with the little boys in line. Had a flight attendant that gave me a wink every time we made eye contact. Obviously there's an age where it starts to get weird, but we don't have to be so uptight with the little ones, they'll never forget it.

[@ctmdarkonestm]

Baseball is decently diverse. Major League teams actively recruit around the Caribbean, Central and South America, sign players from Japan.

[@dansdiscourse4957]

True. And it does indeed attract a diverse following. That said, however, the socioeconomics of race being what they are, it's not too surprising that there will be fewer POC in the very pricey seats down by the sidelines.

[@728huey]

Whoever said baseball is diverse is correct, yet ironically the number of African American players has actually gone down in the past 25 years, but not for lack of trying by Major League Baseball. One of the big reasons why fewer African Americans play baseball is because most of them either consider it to be too boring a sport or don't believe they have a chance to make the major leagues if they can't hit for a high batting average (.300 or higher), hit a ton of home runs, or if they are a pitcher throw a fastball 95 miles per hour or faster. They would rather play American football or basketball because they believe their odds of becoming a professional are better.

[@seanwhaling6499]

@@dansdiscourse4957 I think her reaction was mostly about the crowds and the answer is that it is expensive to sit in those areas. Baseball as a sport is the most racially diverse as it includes asians , where as Football and basketball are dominated by African Americans.

[@hannaro]

My team (the Philadelphia Phillies) does spring training (think preseason practice, exhibition games, etc.) in Clearwater, Florida, outside Tampa. Which also happens to be where Hooters started. Sure enough, someone had the bright idea to hire Hooters girls to be ballgirls. Unlike the very talented softball-playing ballgirls depucted here, the Hooters girls have no idea what they’re doing. Which is occasionally hilarious. Interfering with balls in play, lack of ability to catch or throw the ball, etc. Total fish outbof water thing. It’s just bananas.

[@whiskybooze]

Go Phillies!!!!!

[@americasdream1265]

It is so kool how excited this young Irish lady gets so excited. Her reaction to the ball girls catching the baseball is just great. Love to see her at a hockey game.

[@michaelevans1193]

Different ballparks have different traditions regarding the ball attendants. The stadium near me (Washington, DC) uses college students who play softball, which is a sport similar to baseball. The attendants play several roles: 1. They used to protect the fans near the field, but MLB has added netting down the lines, so this isn’t the case any more. 2. They chase down balls that are out of play, similar to the ball boys/girls in tennis. 3. In some ballparks the area where a pitcher warms up before entering the game (the bullpen) is next to the field. The ball attendant protects the person helping the pitcher to warm up, since their back is to the batter at home plate.

[@tconlon251]

Tropicana Field: “You can put it next to the field?”

[@peterjamesfoote3964]

I really like this change to MLB baseball! I’ve seen this video before but it was so fun watching you react to it! Baseball is The American Sport. Not only beer and hot dogs but now at many ballparks (like for the Chicago White Sox) there is even fine dining available! Ours has churros, nachos, burgers, fries, ice cream, all available behind the stands where fans wait during rain delays. Something to add to your trip to Chicago! Minority attendance varies by minority population in each city but there are some stereotypical truths: more Hispanic Americans at what we call soccer, and more African Americans attend basketball than attend other sports but you do see every type of person at baseball games in a city like Chicago. We literally have a little bit of everything here. The seat vendors that roam through the seats tend to sell beer, soda, churros and ice cream but you may see anything here tried out. More later!

[@mikeet69]

Diane just to add a few things for FYI about baseball. It is played on a baseball field, i.e. famous movie called "Field of Dreams" you may want to watch to learn more. The inner part with the bases the offensive players run around is called a baseball diamond due to it's shape. Each base is 90 feet ( about 27.43 meters ) apart from the last. The defense puts the ball in play similar to cricket. That player is called the pitcher and he is 60 feet 6 inches ( 18.44 meters ) from the batter who stands next to Home Plate. The pitcher is standing on a raised mound called the pitching mound which has an object on top called the pitching rubber that the pitcher must be in contact with when he throws the ball to home plate. This is done with his back foot and actually gives the pitcher more leverage to throw the ball. Also unlike in cricket if the pitcher bounces the ball in front of home plate that is normally considered a bad pitch (unless the batter actually swings at it and misses). I think I have only seen 1 player ever hit a pitched ball near the ground (Vladimir Guerrero). Balls hit outside the white lines are foul balls and the area where the ball girls sit is called foul territory. Even though they are sitting quite a ways from the batter those foul balls could be traveling up to 100 miles per hour ( 160 kilometers per hour if you prefer metric/SI units ). Point being not much time to react normally. And yes part of their job is to help protect those people sitting close to the field from getting hit by a foul ball although many fans bring their own gloves just in case they get a chance to catch a foul ball themselves. And the one girl making the barehanded play was great. Not easy to do and sometimes very painful. The other girl who climbed up the corner outfield wall was AMAZING. Many professional players could not do that or would not, especially for a foul ball. Unfortunately yes as you saw there is a danger of getting hit by a foul ball traveling at a fast speed whether as a ball girl or fan. In fact they recently increased the area behind home plate with additional netting to protect the fans from foul balls, especially the ones closer to home plate who have less time to react. Sometimes the foul balls fly straight at the fans. Anyway it looked like the ball girl hit by the ball may have been hit in the head, but hard to see on my smartphone. I noticed her hard shell "batting" helmet came off so hopefully it absorbed much of the force. Still it hurts. Notice the name "batter's" helmet as the batter himself is also wearing this over his ball cap when he stands near home plate in case he is hit by the ball. Finally the ball girl who made the mistake of touching a ball in play, or fair ball as opposed to foul ball, probably was just reacting. It was a rare occurence as the ball was ruled fair by the umpire who was standing near the foul line beyond first base or what is called the right field foul line. As long as the ball does not contact the ground outside the foul line before it crosses over first base it is ruled a fair ball by the umpire including if it goes over the base/bag itself. Note the base is positioned so that only 1 side touches the foul line while the rest of the base is fully inside fair territory. Unfortunately we did not see the umpire's initial ruling in the picture. The umpire must quickly make an arm gesture and yell to indicate fair or foul ball. He does this by pointing 1 arm to the inside of the field if fair and yells either "fair" or "fair ball". We saw a camera switch from the batter to the ball girl and a little bit of the umpire holding up both arms parallel to the ground to indicate the fair ball is now "dead" to indicate the batter who is now running around the bases and the defense can stop play. So regardless of her dropping the ball the play is now over. Same thing would apply if a fan reached over into the field and touched a live/fair ball. It was a normal reaction once she realized she made a mistake. She probably heard the umpire yell too late or did not see him motion his arm fair. Ironically had she just moved out of the way the ball would likely have caromed off the wall out into the field. That does happen, but again not shown in this video. Sorry for the long explanation. Baseball has a lot of rules. It is somewhat unique as the fields are not all the same standard size ( the bases and diamonds where the offense runs are standard size ). It has a lot of rules to deal with a lot of different situations. It is considered a slow game and has no clock, unlike most sports. However as you saw the balls can travel very rapidly. I would compare it more to cricket, but since I have only seen a little cricket I am not qualified to compare. Hopefully this makes a little more sense and helps you some. I think you would enjoy watching a baseball game. After all it allows time to ask questions and drinking beer at the game is very popular as well as eating "ball park" food like hot dogs, pretzels, peanuts, popcorn, and other foods that vary from stadium to stadium. Heck they even bring the stuff to you if you want to wait for it! ;-)

[@jwrockets]

IIRC, there have been fans who have interfered with live balls, robbing teams of runs, wins, or championships.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Good observation about the paucity of people of color in MLB and in the stands. Baseball is hugely popular in Latin America and there are lots of Hispanic players. But it's falling into disfavor among African American youth. The slow pace of play compared to football and basketball, plus the lack of fields in urban neighborhoods, are real problems. As for fans, tickets are too damn expensive and so is the food. The best seats largely go to corporate types, even actual businesses that use them to entertain clients.

[@DianeJennings]

Good info Thank you!

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

@@DianeJennings you're welcome. As a Black American who grew up playing and loving baseball, it hurts me that neither of my now-adult sons have any interest in the sport. They'd rather watch wrestling. WRESTLING! A fake sport! 🤦🏿‍♂️

[@StefanWB]

Yeah sometimes it's simply a demographic issue; a disproportionate percentage of young Black-Americans are raised in inner cities, urban areas that are densely populated and mostly concrete. Baseball fields are hard to find because green space is at a premium, and schools in these areas are often under-funded and can't afford to maintain good facilities. But basketball cages can go up on any piece of disused land between buildings or anywhere that has space, and indoors gyms and arenas are also plentiful. Plus you only need a ball and a hoop whereas baseball equipment can be quite expensive. African Americans are extremely important to the history of the game, from the Negro Leaguers and early pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige, to the greats of the 50s, 60, and 70s like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Bob Gibson, to modern greats like Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr., but there are reasons why baseball participation has been on a downward trajectory with this demographic. But as others have mentioned, participation among Black Hispanics and Afro-Caribbeans, from countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia is very high, as well as Americans of Latino or Black-Caribbean origin, and these demographics are very well-represented in the major leagues.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

@@StefanWB all this is true. Plus in the south, a generally more suburban and rural part of the country with year-round baseball weather and more places to play, it's football that rules. Even high school football is huge (hence "Friday Night Lights"). Every kid down south with athletic skills dreams of getting a football scholarship. At worst, you get an education. At best, you're a high draft choice out of the SEC who's been on national TV and will be a guaranteed millionaire at 21. Even the most talented baseball players have to work their way up through the minors for years, because baseball is a really, really hard game to get pro-level good at. The potential rewards come quicker in football and basketball.

[@StefanWB]

@@JohnDrummondPhoto participation in football at youth levels is actually in danger at the moment - some of the recent lawsuits related to CTE and concussions are making it more difficult and expensive for schools and programs to get insurance for their players. There was a big report on ESPN a while ago that went into detail on the topic. That being said, I’m sure that football will continue to dominate in the South for years to come.

[@christopherconnelly6912]

These ladies have some serious skills. I especially love it when they give the baseballs to the children. Thanks Diane and Chewy

[@BillW1]

There are screens that go down the foul lines now to protect fans from hard hit balls, but ball girls/ boys are still there. I think it would be a blast to get to do it. If you are here in late spring through September you should try to take in a game. I think you would enjoy it.

[@DianeJennings]

Definitely would be fun 🤩

[@BillW1]

I meant mid spring ( April )

[@ejbsee6081]

The US summer time past time for decades, love of the game passed down through generations almost like Hurling in Ireland. As of 2019 there is now netting to protect the fans, still have ball girls and ball boys

[@markdoherty3718]

Many of the Ball Girls do a great job of showing up the real players. lol You would make a lovely Ball Girl but you will have to work on your ball catching abilities. Great video to start the week with Diane!

[@DianeJennings]

I can catch a rugby ball! … they’re a bit bigger though 😬

[@theblacksheep5226]

You have to have incredibly quick reflexes and great knowledge of the game to be a ball girl. Most of those balls coming at them are moving at 80+ miles an hour.

[@paulk.6969]

This is a great video. Thank you for doing this . These ball girls , as you could well see in the wall climbing girl, are all excellent athletes.They have to be because they perform a very important function, and that is to protect fans from hard hit balls. There are nets erected behind home plate and up the baselines up to 1st base and to 3rd base . From that point , the ball girls cover the rest. People have been seriously injured from hard hits to the head and face.so these safety measures are necessary. I’m not sure if they get paid,but even if they don’t, as you said , it’s an honor and thrill for them to be there. And it’s nice to see them make some of those great catches ! I don’t think there are that many men who could have made that wall catch!! Great job as usual 😎👍👍👍👍👍

[@paulk.6969]

Final thought that I forgot to put in. The girls randomly give out the balls they catch to the fans.

[@DianeJennings]

Thanks for the good info Paul!

[@crockwell1966]

The wall climbing was fake...from a commercial(forgot the product)....but funny nonetheless

[@paulk.6969]

@@crockwell1966 ouch!! Shows you how much I know!! 😱😱

[@cliffcannon]

You have viewers in Europe, Canada ... and Southern California! Keep up the great work, Ms. Jennings!!

[@mattfinleylive]

'Love the girl @ ~4'03 'tipping' her hat.. -Perfect!

[@paulobrien9572]

I can only speak for the Red Sox but the ball girls are from local area college softball teams and yes they are paid. They provide an essential service of tracking down foul balls to help keep up pace of play and provide some security for fans close to the field a major league line drive can do plenty of damage to an unsuspecting or distracted fan 😁💚

[@DianeJennings]

Thanks that’s good to hear

[@timothypatrick1233]

Back many years ago our front office ladies had teenage sons. They became ball boys for us. They would warm up one of the outfielders between innings and sneak around the clubhouse taking things players would give them or pick up near the trash cans. Every now and again they would ask you for something or get you to sign something. They were great kids that usually had a baseball background. A few times they were allowed to take batting practice with us, but only at the end of the line up. Fun memories thanks for taking the time to explore baseball’s ball girls. Not so sure your skills of knocking players over would come in handy as a ball girl. Great job keep it up.

[@johnmurphy3611]

We have both boys and girls getting foul balls, they are there to help protect the fans, who are not paying attention, and helping the players so they don't have to chase foul balls. With very few exceptions these girls are pretty damn good. Impressive performances!! It is America's game

[@joelmoreno4223]

Diane: thanks for the entertaining 'reaction', always a pleasure to see you (and hear your reactions). You seem to be a fun person, I'll look for somemore of your videos. Take care.

[@wjr10110]

Just a few minutes in and I think Diane has already demonstrated why games have ball girls. Between taking in all the sights and sounds of a baseball game and deciding on which weird ballpark food item(s) to order, I fear Diane might not seea foul ball coming and would need the slick glove work of a ball girl to avoid potential disaster.

[@DianeJennings]

😂🤪

[@andrewfenn4534]

🤣

[@dvdbluraydude3038]

Two of my favorite MLB clips George Brett and the pine tar incident. Rick Monday saves the American flag.

[@johnsample7391]

I am sure that I was not the only one, but I suggested this video in a comment after you were traumatised by "MLB Head Shots." My suggestion was that you should "take it easy on yourself." And now you have watched it. I am so pleased with myself. 😊

[@DianeJennings]

You did! See? I write them down!

[@Posirep]

They're college kids. They also do promotional work for the team too. My cousin was a ball girl for the Phillies when she was at Villanova....She was a Yankees fan tho lol

[@logankerlee]

Super enjoyed watching this video. :) lol, normally I can't stand baseball, but your commentary made it fun to watch. :) Good job Diane!

[@drewmark76]

I’m baseball there’s the pitcher on the mound, the catcher is at home plate, then first basemen, second basemen, the short stop, and the third base. I’m the outfield you right, center and left field players

[@danmilliken6172]

Diane Fields the founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies was an Original ball girl for the Oakland Athletics in 1968 when they introduced the concept.

[@mattherbert873]

Great video. Such a cheerful way to start the week. Thanks. X

[@DianeJennings]

🥰 that’s what I luv to hear

[@davidsheridan7226]

You make a valid point about there being few people of color in the stands. Baseball is very popular among Latinos (many players are from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, etc), but sadly has been struggling to attract Black fans.

[@KalEL224]

At 8:06 you picked up on something it’s taken years if people to see. Good on you.

[@johnnabuzby6103]

Awww! Chewie was the definition of cuteness overload at the end of this video. He's such a good boy.

[@LindaC616]

They're all fouls, so yes, she gives it to someone in the stands. Must be a new thing. The last time I watched a game, it wasn't a thing. But the fact that they're all young and pretty isn't coincidence, I'm guessing.

[@DianeJennings]

I do wonder! 😜

[@MasterMichelleFL]

Did you run out of threats? I haven't been by in a while... time to binge watch and catch up. Rascal Loves Chewy...lol

[@parkermudsen1063]

@5:37 😆 You know us too well, Diane.

[@gregorywright2798]

My Granddaughter Cheyenne plays for the Philadelphia Phillies Girls Softball League at the Ryan Howard Training Center next too the Major League Field.

[@empirejeff]

mlb craziest home plate collisions

[@stephenkinney3472]

A lot of the ball girls play a similar sport to baseball. The balls are given to fans as a courtesy Have a great weekend Diane!! 😊

[@ocularnervosa]

My cousin did that for a summer. it's voluntary but she got to go to the games and they gave her a nice team jacket. If you come to America you could be invited to throw out the first pitch.

[@MrLainon]

When I was young I watched a bunch of baseball, and one memory I have is of a ball girl who made a great catch that probably kept a kid from getting hit in the face. The camera kept zooming in on her while that announcers were talking about the catch and stuff, and she seemed a little camera shy. The next game they played a replay of the catch early on, then the camera zoomed in on her again only this time she clearly had a lot more makeup on and was all smiles for the camera. Initially, she, obviously wasn't expecting to spend that much time on camera, but after getting so much attention in that one game, she never came to work without her makeup again.

[@iceman34]

Thanks for the Canada shout out but it is factually correct most followers are from the US

[@cometogether999]

Is this one of those things that Young Diane wanted to do, but Editor Diane wouldn't let her? Edit: Diane is looking pretty in pink today.

[@DianeJennings]

I didn’t know it existed

[@TR4200]

1:41 Foul balls were able to be given away to fans in the stands. Most of the time they are given to kids.

[@DianeJennings]

That’s cool!

[@alu.minium521]

The girl climbing the wall is the greatest catch in baseball history even though it doesn't count in that game. Fun video Diane, thanks. BOOP

[@DianeJennings]

It was a fantastic catch!

[@the_eaglefan]

That wall climb was a Gatorade commercial, not real.

[@richskater]

Yeah, as cool as it is, she's on wires.

[@fishguy911]

@@DianeJennings it was CGI for and advert.

[@PV1230]

I laughed when Diane said "Bruised Handies" XD

[@wabash9000]

I'm having this vision of Diane sitting near the ball girl and chatting with her the whole game. As a result of Diane's distraction, the ball girl misses a catch and the ball hits someone in the crowd.

[@DianeJennings]

😂

[@joeldykman7591]

the line drives they catch are somewhat impressive, but not as much as the high hops or richochets they catch on the fly. That's really hard to anticipate.

[@johncgibson4720]

4:50 is the greatest ballgirl play of all time.

[@lonestarjedi3886]

Both boys and girls do this, but this video was specific to girls only. To answer your questions, ball girls (& boys) go through a tryout to earn the regular job to show they are good enough and won't get killed by a line drive. However, occasionally there will be someone that gets to be ball girl/boy for one game as a prize or special thank you. And yes, fans try to butter up the ball girls in hopes of getting a free ball. What ball girl did wrong was catch a fair ball (still live & in play) - only supposed to stop the foul balls (dead & out of play) - primarily for the purpose of protecting fans. As far as racially diverse, yes, it is one of, if not the most diverse sport as it has a well mix of Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, etc.

[@bobwallace9814]

I played third base in college and can tell you these girls are all highly athletic. Watching in slow motion takes away from the actual speed the ball is going. It reaches them in a nano second and to catch it is all about natural reflexes. That ball may have tremendous spin on it or coming off an awkward bounce. They make it look easy.

[@LS1007]

There are “ball boys” too and “bat boys.” The girls are not ordinary girls they’re mostly athletes who play college ball. On your next visit to America you should attend a game with someone that can explain it. Thanks for sharing it! Take care!! ❤️U☘️🇮🇪🇺🇸

[@DianeJennings]

🥰

[@user-jk7jp7rg1q]

Here in Az at our Diamondbacks games we have old folks instead of ballgirls, they're called the golden gloves 🙂

[@aneophyte1199]

Ball boys and girls are usually from groups like the little league or something similar. The balls when hit tend to go in the same area, so there would be two ball girls or boys, one for the right side and one for the left side. Only balls hit in a specific area can be gotten by the ball girl, you might have noticed a line on the ground, the girls aren't allowed to cross that, and if a player is running towards the ball, the girls aren't suppose to interfere.

[@lewis9702]

8:48 - She dropped it, because it was a fair ball and still in play. If the ball is in fair territory(in this case, to the left of the 1st base line) when it goes past the base, it's a hit and a live ball. The ball girl's not supposed to interfere with a live ball. That happened so fast, the ballgirl instantly reacted thinking it was foul.

[@anastas6179]

I'm sure it's been pointed out, but the girl climbing the wall was a stuntwoman filming a commercial. The commercial never aired, but the video was leaked and went viral. So not an organic situation.

[@NVKyleBrown]

The 4:39 clip was faked for an ad. But the rest are genuine. The rule is that the ball is fair (hit inside the lines) it's a live ball and if a non-player touches it, it's interference (free base, usually). The ball girls are supposed to only field the foul (non-fair balls, outside the lines). It can be easy to miss on a hard hit ball that curves around the base (fair!) and then outside the lines. The ball is fair or foul depending on where it hits the ground (after the passing first or third base) or where it stops moving before first or third base or where it is picked up by a defensive player. It makes a lot of sense in practice, but it's a bit wordy to explain it on paper.

[@msdsez]

I just watch to see what Chewy is up to. He's got that couch back figured out pretty good eye-C.

[@DZ-cf6sj]

the spider-girl catch was from a commercial- it wasn't real. wish it were though!

[@stephenbrown199]

The velocity at which the ball it hit and the speed of the bat is how fast the ball travels

[@TR4200]

7:43 Without going in to the history of baseball. It’s a huge game in Latin America. People of all colors attend games.

[@danielhammond3]

These girls do a better job of catching foul balls than Arkansas baseball players in the 2018 college World Series, if you know you know.

[@DianeJennings]

🤭

[@mikehenthorn1778]

fun video thank you foor the happy thoughts. you should check out some of the fast oitch softball. those girls have cannon for arms.

[@jackh.4544]

I went to a Game this Yr and after going to over 50 game life time I finally got a ball but now I'm 44 so i game it to the boy next to me because that is something i wish they would have done for me FYI it was a Home Run too

[@DianeJennings]

Aww that’s so sweet Jack

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

Most of these ballgirls play competitive baseball or softball. They're chosen for their athletic ability. Sorry to break it to you, but the amazing catch at 4:32 isn't real. I think it was part of an ad. Re: people of color. Baseball used to be more popular among black people than it is now. Over the past few decades, there have been more and more Hispanic players in MLB, especially from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela (we'd have a lot more from Cuba if that country allowed people to emigrate), and large proportion of them are people of color. There are also a lot of players from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. So there are quire a few people of color among the players. Who you see in the crowd is partly a matter of local demographics. I go to Oakland A's games, and there are quite a few non-white fans in the stands there. Interference happens sometimes. The ballgirls really should watch the umpires to see whether the ball has been called fair or foul, but when a ball is rocketing at you, it's hard to pay attention to anything else. In cases like this, the umpires will try to figure out what would have happened without the interference and put the runners where they would have ended up. When (not if) you return to the U.S., why not go to a batting cage somewhere to see whether you can hit the ball? It could be fun.

[@DianeJennings]

When!

[@MrVvulf]

It was an advertisement for Gatorade over a decade ago.

[@yossiea]

One stadium has a ball dog who chases the dog.

[@DianeJennings]

Omg 😱

[@yossiea]

@@DianeJennings I found this video, but it's for bats not balls. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoqunaWno8edr68

[@gregmcmahon957]

Very awesome video. Happy Monday! Have a safe and happy week.

[@DianeJennings]

😃

[@hardtackbeans9790]

The ball girls in MLB today are to keep the loose balls out of play like in tennis. But their primary concern is to protect fans from balls hit into the crowd. These can be vicious hits. The last fan killed by a ball hit into the crowd was in 1987 (I think) but there have been many injuries since. I'm sure some of these will show that clearly when the video starts. This is why when you go to a baseball game (and you should) you always want to watch when the pitch is made. And be ready to duck out of the way. Or catch it if you brought your glove. The girls have freakish skill fielding. Sometimes better than the professional player believe it or not. 4:13 I think they do it for free. If the equipment manager makes them an assistant they get paid for that. 8:56 It is fine. She did nothing wrong. That was fun. You should do some reactions to girl's fast pitch softball. Gives 'throws like a girl' a whole new meaning. 😂

[@kmlammto]

I have seen many different people be ballgirls/ballboys including my brother-in-law’s father in his seventies (San Francisco Giants, although he was a fan when they were still in NY). It can be arranged with the team’s Public Relations department. Just has to be done well in advance. Some “ball attendants” are only there for 1-2 innings. Sometimes (early and late season) when young people are not available for games due to school, they have actual staff members do the job.

[@Caseytify]

It used to be just ball boys, until someone pointed out the sexism. I can't say if teams alternate boys & girls, or what. If memory serves, the team holds tryouts. Athletics skills are a must. I don't doubt ball girl choices are based in part on their appearance. Who gets the ball? From watching them, they quickly scan the crowd for the youngest, nearest child and usually toss it to them. ... I've seen that spider-girl catch before, and it _still_ amazes me. If you watch that part again, the outfielder was amazed too. :)

[@drchapman6501]

The correct name for them is Ball Attendants. Yes, there are both male and female Ball Attendants. The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants for example have not switched to Ball Girls yet. The Covid 19 Pandemic gave us games without crowds, thus nullifying the need for Ball Girls. All teams have Bat BOYS. No Bat Girls in baseball yet. I am not positive, but I think Ball Girls do receive some form of payment. The ball girls are a form of Ambassadors for the team. They make the game more personal by giving the balls they catch mostly to children. They try out for the position. The children come up to them before and during the game and ask them for a foul ball should the girl catches one. Ball girls sign autographs for fans and talk to fans throughout the game. They are pictured with the fans. I am hoping that Ball Girls return to their rightful places when or if MLB baseball continues in 2022. I enjoy watching them warm up with the professional ball players on the field. Keep in mind that the baseballs fielded by the Ball Girls are hit to them at the same velocity that are fielded by the professionals on the field. And, yes, they are sometimes injured by a hard batted ball.

[@bobhoey4648]

I enjoyed your comments but I am also pleased that you pointed out the lack of girls of color in the video.

[@Laochri]

Interesting Fact; The first Ball Girl In the MLB for the The Oakland A's, Debbie Sivyer married Randall Fields. Debbie Fields, is the Founder of "Mrs. Fields Cookies".

[@WineSippingCowboy]

Ex- high school baseball player ⚾️ from San Francisco here! 🌁 Baseball has the toughest activity in sports: hitting a baseball. Few people let alone athletes can do that consistently for 10 consecutive years at an all-star level. 🌟 American English uses slang from baseball such as America's pastime, hard ball and Moneyball. (Think of Brad Pitt!). American team sports movies 🎥 have baseball more than any other team sport. In baseball or softball, a player catches with the weak hand and throws with the strong hand. These are skills that other sports do not emphasize except for hockey goalie, which does this. 🏒 About the boos. The hit ball was fair. The ball girl should have left it in foul territory. To be a ball girl, the female should know the basics of baseball or softball. Usually, females who played softball in high school or university become ball girls in MLB. A pitch can move as fast as 120 km/hr! 🤯 One famous ball boy is MC Hammer. He was a ball boy for the Oakland A's 🐘, the team he and I love! 🌁 ⚾️

[@Darth.Fluffy]

My local team, the Arizona Diamonbacks, uses old folks instead of ball girls. They seem to get the job done. The announcers actually tell you who they are as part of the pregame, so they know their names.

[@TR4200]

Foul balls can be extremely dangerous for spectators, if they’re not paying attention. Japan has install netting down the first base and third-base stands. There is a movement to do the same in major league baseball.

[@jmanj3917]

Aw, c'mon, D, I'm sure you know PLENTY about balls...lol 😆

[@Dularr]

Fast Pitch Softball is a serious team sport for female athletes. For most children they start with co-ed tee-ball at age 4-5. Then at age 6-11 the transition to pitch softball. Ages 12 and up softball becomes very competitive. The games become more competitive and require more athleticism. So most of the ball girls have been playing softball for most of their lives. There are also significant senior softball leagues.

[@dongleason9878]

Hello Diane, nice observation about not a lot of people of color there. In recent years there have been concerns about this but it seems they prefer basketball and football much more than baseball, which wasn't always the case. Baseball is kind of slow and boring, try watching an entire game.

[@DianeJennings]

It sure starts late!

[@drewmark76]

Baseball is a great sport and MBL is great for everyone and anyone and is lots of fun when you go to a game!

[@JKM395]

Have a wonderful week Miss Diane.

[@bcardicoke]

The crowd composition depends on the city. In San Diego and Los Angeles, the majority of crowds are skewed towards Latinos.

[@chrisgotgames6405]

look at the beer cans there in little cup things how cool is that might be the best thing ive heard all year man the stuff we take for granted

[@wabash9000]

The reason that one was 'interfered with' was an issue is the ball girls are not players, they are just there to field foul balls and give them away to the crowd. The ball that she caught had bounced in the field and was fair and she shouldn't have touched it. Her inference stopped the play and automatically awarded the batter a double.

[@DianeJennings]

Oopsie

[@Gr8man4sex]

Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes.

[@bryandawkins]

it was freezing rain and cold today 06/12/2021 here in canada and was I feeling blue then I saw your pleasant smile and heard your claiming voice and was cheered up. Post what you like we will always be happy for your visits. Oh yes would you consider showing us some cricket as a cultural exchange

[@DianeJennings]

Definitely thanks for the lovely comment!

[@Armando_Brown32]

To answer a couple of your questions: I’m sure most teams have ball girls and or boys. As for who you have to know to get that gig…definitely someone with some pull in the team’s front office. At least that’s how me and my brother got to be ball boys for the NBA team in our home city when we were kids. And I’m sure fans do their best to suck up to the ball girls/boys to get a foul ball.

[@DianeJennings]

That’s really cool!

[@ellygoffin4200]

In Baltimore there are tryouts to get the ball girl gig

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

The San Francisco Giants have ‘Ball Dudes.’ They’re usually retired Gentlemen.