A fan gifted a historic home run ball to young Marcus, which he returned to the Mariners in exchange for something even better.
Twelve-year-old Marcus Ruelos was sitting with his family in right field when Raleigh smashed his 60th home run of the season. The ball ricocheted off his mother’s head before landing with another fan sitting nearby.
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As Marcus reached out to high-five the man, the fan instead handed him the historic baseball.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Marcus said. “I started kissing the ball. It did taste like dirt, but I just couldn’t believe it.”
His father said the selfless gesture will stay with their family.
“It was a complete random act of kindness that made a lifetime moment for him,” he said. “He’ll always remember. Kindness still matters in this world. Just a cool lesson, you know.”
Sports memorabilia experts estimate the ball could have been worth anywhere from $50,000 to more than $100,000 at auction. But Marcus said he had no interest in selling it.
“Money doesn’t matter,” Marcus said. “I would’ve given the ball if I didn’t get anything. This is for Cal. It’s his special moment with his family just like we had ours.”
Instead, Marcus traded the baseball back to the Mariners in exchange for an autographed bat from Raleigh. The team also invited the Ruelos family to attend batting practice on the field during a game next season.
Mariners officials said they were able to track down the fan who gave away the ball and invited him to Thursday’s game against the Rockies to be honored for his generosity.
