SAN FRANCISCO – Giants utilityman Lamonte Wade Jr. was able to get possession of his historic home run ball Friday night, a 385-foot blast that cleared the right field fence and landed into McCovey Cove on the fly.
He just doesn't quite know what will happen to the ball from here — although he has a good idea of what he wants to see happen.
"I don't know who it goes to. But I think personally it should go to me. I would like to keep it," Wade said after the Giants' 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. "So I'm pretty sure we will have discussions and negotiations about that. I think it should be mine."
Wade recorded the 100th Splash Hit in Giants history, as he drove a first-pitch fastball from Baltimore Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer into the water in the first inning before some folks in the announced Oracle Park crowd of 27,873 had even taken their seats.
"I was trying to get a jump on a fastball early," Wade said. "(Kremer's) usually pretty good in the zone early. I just wanted to take my shot and I was able to do it."
Wade was able to talk with the kayaker who quickly scooped up the ball, Vacaville resident Mark Gerber, after it landed in the chilly bay water.
It was an easy negotiation, Wade said. All Gerber wanted was a signed bat, two signed baseballs, a handshake, and a picture.
"A really nice guy, down-to-earth guy. They told me he's been a Giants fan for like 50 years or something like that, so it's good that he caught it," Wade said. "Really nice to meet him and grateful that he was so gracious to give the ball back."
Wade later said if he does retain possession of the ball, he'll give it to his mother, who already has a nice collection.
"I think she'll definitely want this one, too," Wade said. "I know that's her buzzing my phone right now, screaming and asking where the ball is at."
Wade was the author of four other Splash Hits, with the most recent being a blast off Kansas City's Brady Singer on April 8 for the 98th Splash Hit of all time.
In other words, Wade knew the ball had a chance to reach the water as soon as it left his bat.
"I knew it had a shot to go into the water," Wade said. "I thought it might have hit that pole, but luckily it went around it and still got out there.
"I knew it was gonna go, I just didn't know if it was going to get in the water."
A few minutes after the home run and before the start of the next half-inning, the Giants flashed a montage of the some of the most memorable splash hits in the 23-year history of the ballpark. Several of those highlights included bombs from Barry Bonds, who has 35 Splash Hits in his career.
"That was really cool to see that, starting off with Barry and (Brandon Crawford), (Mike Yastrzemski), (Brandon) Belt and all those guys hitting balls into the water," Wade said "I saw Pablo (Sandoval) hit one in there, (Alex) Dickerson and all those guys. Just to be a part of that group, it means a lot to get the 100th one, It's definitely special."
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