We talk a lot about how crazy all the frivolous lawsuits are as if they are something relatively recent. Check this article out; it's about catching foul balls and the origin of how they became souvenirs (I'm only quoting relevant text).
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diam...extra0621.html
Quote:
A 31-year-old stockbroker, Berman visited the Polo Grounds in 1921 to watch the New York Giants play the Cincinnati Reds. At the time, most teams decided foul balls belonged to the team, not the fans. Berman challenged this.
According to the baseball research society, he refused to give up a foul ball that day at the Polo Grounds. When security members closed in, Berman resisted, blindly throwing the ball behind him, earning an ejection from the park.
Three months later, Berman sued. He sought $20,000 for humiliation, mental suffering and bodily distress and loss of reputation. A jury awarded him $100, but more significantly, the case's publicity forced most major league teams to reconsider their policies.
From that point on, foul balls hit into the stands officially belonged to those brave enough to grab them. People like Buchinger.
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That was back in 1921. What's the equivalent of 20k back then to these days? $10 million?