Alcides Escobar’s inside-the-park home run ball auctioned
By Andrew Fine
Alcides Escobar’s inside-the-park home run ball sold for more than 19K in an online auction.
Inside-the-park home runs are rare in general, but an inside-the-park home run in Game 1 of the World Series is an even rarer accomplishment.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar hit an inside-the-park home run on the first pitch he saw during the bottom of the first inning. Escobar drilled a 95 MPH fastball from Mets ace Matt Harvey deep to center field, but the ball zinged off of Yoenis Cespedes’ glove and sputtered into left field. The speedy Escobar scored standing up and gave the Royals a 1-0 lead.
The ball sold to one lucky (maybe insane) bidder for a lofty $19,200 in an auction put on by Major League Baseball. After the ball was obtained by the league, it was authenticated and put on auction. Just 84 bids later, one fan now holds a remarkable piece from the 2015 World Series.
Escobar’s ball is also quite valuable because it was the first time a batter hit an inside-the-park home run in the World Series since 1923 according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Outfielder Casey Stengel was the last player to accomplish this feat before Escobar did so on Octo 27.
This is not Escobar’s only item from the World Series on Major League Baseball’s auction website. There are seven balls from plays he was involved in as well as a locker room tag that are still up for auction.
Escobar, the ALCS MVP, enjoyed a successful postseason where he batted .329, drove in nine runs, and collected three triples.