(from press release)

Every baseball fan hopes for that elusive autograph, catching a foul ball, or maybe even chasing down a milestone home run ball. Now there is a book out there that will help these dreams be realized.

Taking Home A Piece Of The Game is a fan’s guide on how to get cool stuff at a Major League Baseball game. Inside you will find out how to put together a plan of attack for a day at the ballpark. With this book fans are almost guaranteed to take home a baseball, autograph and/or game-used items from every Major League Baseball game attended.

Through a blend of tips, information and personal stories, author and Major League “Ballhawk” John Witt reveals the information needed to accomplish all of this. John Witt has caught 4,868 baseballs at Major League games over the past 32 years. 2,829 of those baseballs were caught at regular season MLB games and 99 of those baseballs were game home runs. Witt has also collected thousands of autographs, game-used items, and other various goodies as well.

Witt shares stories about the more memorable home run balls that he has caught. His biggest moment came on September 13, 1998 when he grabbed Sammy Sosa’s 61st home run of the season on Waveland Avenue outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Witt has also caught home runs hit by Eddie Murray from both sides of the plate in the same game in 1987, the last roof-top home run at Old Comiskey Park, and even a Mike Schmidt home run ball at his first ever Dodger game in LA.

In the back of the book there are photos of some of the “Pieces of the Game” that Witt snagged in 2008. John also offers information on “Ballhawking 101” which is where fans can go to a baseball game to put all of the tips and information to use. Witt even guarantees that fans will get a baseball at the game or the fan will receive a full 100% refund of the “Ballhawking 101” fee.

Taking Home A Piece Of The Game is available at createspace.com and Amazon.com for $6.95 (paperback).

Starting on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, the number 3 is off limits to players on the Savannah Sand Gnats baseball team.  Lou Brissie, former southpaw pitcher for the minor league club, will have his jersey retired that night prior to the team’s game against the Hickory Crawdads.

Leland Victor “Lou” Brissie compiled a stellar 23-5 record with a 1.91 ERA and 278 Ks to propel the then-Savannah Indians to the South Atlantic League championship in 1947.  Called up to the major leagues at the end of that season, Brissie went on to become an All-Star with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1949.

Born in 1924, the South Carolina native pitched in the textile leagues and at Presbyterian College before heading off to Europe for World War II.  While fighting in Italy in late 1944, an artillery shell hit Brissie, seriously maiming his left leg.  Brissie convinced the medics to not amputate, but he was forced to wear a leg brace throughout his pitching career.

The first 1,000 fans attending the game at Grayson Stadium on Tuesday, April 29 will receive a replica Lou Brissie jersey T-shirt, courtesy of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society.