How To Get A Ball At Prince George’s Stadium

Just as Prince George’s Stadium is friendly for autograph collectors, it’s also a pretty good park to give you a chance of getting a baseball. And like a number of Minor League parks, it’s possible to snag a ball long before the gates even open. To do so, get to the park a couple of hours early. The gates open an hour before game time, so getting there an hour or more before then is smart. Regardless of where you choose to park, walk toward the left field corner.

Once you’re beyond the seats, you’ll be able to see the field to know if batting practice is taking place. It’s held before most games, and if it’s on, your odds of getting a ball are greatly improved. Even if it’s not on, you still might be able to find a ball. When you get to the left field corner, immediately start looking for balls in the grass beyond the fence. Any balls that cleared the fence will be in this area, and unless a staff member has been tasked with collecting them, you’ll probably see some that you can grab. There’s a thick, wooded area just behind the grass beyond the fence. Some balls will remain short of the woods, while others will carry into the tree line. Take your time and kick around the underbrush to see what you can find.

Once you’re behind the outfield fence, you can wander the area looking for more balls — you don’t have to remain right at the corner. It’s always best, however, to approach the area behind the fence from the left field side. The grounds crew’s shed is set up in the right field corner and while there’s technically nothing wrong with fans being behind the fence, a grounds crew member might tell you to get lost.

Remember that not all the balls hit during batting practice will be home runs. Most will land somewhere on the field, but a handful will make their way into the stands. Even though the ballpark’s ushers are supposed to pick up these balls, some might get overlooked. As soon as you’re done looking for a ball behind the outfield fence, get in line at the main gates. Once the gates open, run into the park and down either concourse. Balls won’t be in the seats behind home plate, due to the cage used for batting practice, but you might get lucky and find a ball on the grass berm down either line, in the picnic area on the third base side or around the merry-go-round on the first base side.

Once the game begins, do what you can to give yourself a chance of catching a foul ball. If you anticipate a long foul, hang out well down either base line. Otherwise, spend an inning or two near the picnic area on the third base side or the merry-go-round on the first base side. Foul balls will land in these areas on occasion, and if you have your glove ready, you might be able to make the catch. The height of the fences down the lines makes leaning over to snare a rolling foul all but impossible, so devote your time to being in the right place to make a catch on the fly.