There may be no more universally disliked baseball “fan” than Zack Hample and he once again just proved why.
The Tampa Bay Rays are taking on the Los Angeles Angels tonight at Steinbrenner Field but it’s not the fact that MLB baseball is being playing on a minor league field or even the great ballgame that’s got people talking. Tonight, the conversation is centered around the actions of a “fan” sitting front row.
Zack Hample is a well-known and near universally disliked baseball collector that claims to have brought home over 12,000 balls from MLB games, including some of the biggest hits of all-time such as A-Rod’s 3,000th hit and Mike Trout’s first home run. He posts his “journey” on YouTube, had a documentary made about him, and in general does anything he can to make himself the center of attention regardless of what the situation is. I’m not saying he’s a terrible guy but he’s 100%, downright annoying.
Also he’s 47 years old and brings his glove to every game… Like dude, come on, I know it’s your thing and all but hang it up at some point because it’s past ridiculous at this point.
Tonight he was at the Rays game and of course found himself at the center of a controversy because that’s what he does. No he didn’t push a wheelchair bound old woman down the stairs or elbow a small kid in the kidney to get a ball (slight exaggerations on his typical behavior), this time he committed some pretty clear fan interference which wound up costing the Rays the game.
Angels second baseman Kyren Paris sent a ball out to the left-center wall and Rays left fielder Christopher Morel loaded up to attempt a spectacular, home run robbing catch, and it sure looked like he was going to pull it off, but before he could get his glove on the ball, none other than Zack Hample reached out and caught the ball while it was pretty clearly still in play.
Take a look for yourself:
two piece for Paris
pic.twitter.com/nKajOzwpAf
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 8, 2025
Here’s a closer look:
You’ll never guess who is interfering with a Major League Baseball game to get a ball. pic.twitter.com/vZkEFaSNiJ
— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) April 8, 2025
One, I will say Hample has absolutely incredible luck putting himself right where the action takes place.
But two, you cannot do that, it’s just completely unacceptable. Anyone remember Steve Bartman? It’s been 22 years and the man still can’t show his face in Chicago… Granted this is a lower level situation but if you buy a ticket, you’re there to watch, not take part. You have to go hands off and let the play run its course before scrambling to get a souvenir.
To make matters worse, this two-run homer counted after a replay (who knows what the officials were looking for there because this dope clearly got in the way of the play) and wound up being enough to give the Angels a 4-3 win. Had Morel made that catch and the rest of the game went on as it did, the Ray would have closed it out with their fifth win of the year.
AND, this possibly being the worst part of the night, he was wearing a shirt with his own name on it… come on dude…
Naturally, the internet is absolutely ablaze regarding Hample’s actions:
Zack Hample is the biggest douche bag and most hated man in baseball and he furthers the case more and more every single year. Ban this man from baseball @MLB pic.twitter.com/6moh1BIkwz
— Nosey (@HaSeongBeliever) April 8, 2025
“Sir, this is an executive order banning Zack Hample from attending any future Major League Baseball event.” https://t.co/8wU4JWRHG5 pic.twitter.com/V4oPIkmuNH
— Hippo Vaughn (@HippoVaughn) April 9, 2025
At some point @mlb needs to permanently ban Zack Hample from all games. Stealing balls from children and causing teams to use challenges cause he can't keep his virgin hands away from the field. #angels #rays pic.twitter.com/UqGopIk6zj
— Dan (@DanJ_official) April 8, 2025
Why the fuck is Zack Hample in my ballpark affecting actual game results
— Ben Zobrist fan (@RandylandSZN) April 8, 2025
Ban Zack Hample for life, PLEASE https://t.co/md1m3f7P56 pic.twitter.com/YFJ0DgcF81
— Mills (@MillsTwitch) April 8, 2025
Zack Hample at any MLB game: pic.twitter.com/KO9jubgaLG
— ChuckyPride (@chucky_pride) April 8, 2025
NO WAY ZACK HAMPLE JUST ROBBED A HR FROM MOREL I HATE THIS LOSER SO MUCH PLEASE KICK HIM OUT OF THE PARK DUDE
— Raysin (@TheRaysin) April 8, 2025
I don’t blame these fans one bit. Had this been my Philadelphia Phillies I’d be starting petitions to get the man blacklisted from the city. Heck, I’m thinking about asking Elon and Trump to DOGE this man. How’s he have the money to get to all these games? Looks like some shady funding to me…
Can we all please keep our hands off live baseballs? I can’t believe I’m even saying that but please?
And Zack Hample, quit while you’re ahead… You are a 47 year old man who acts like an 8 year old at his first game every single game you’re at, it’s disgusting. Knock it off.
Wow, this has me way more fired up than I thought I’d be.
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The post MLB Fans Are Furious After Notorious “Fan” & Baseball Collector Zack Hample Robs Tampa Bay Rays Of A Win first appeared on Whiskey Riff.