HEARTWARMING: Cubs Fan Who Caught Anthony Rizzo’s Final Career Ball Gave It Up for FREE — Only Asked to Meet Him and Say Hello
On a crisp September afternoon at Wrigley Field, as the sun dipped gently over the ivy-covered outfield walls, a moment unfolded that will be etched into Chicago Cubs lore—not because of a towering home run or a game-saving play, but because of an act of pure, unselfish humanity.
It came from the stands, not the field. From a fan, not a player. And it centered on a baseball—seemingly ordinary to anyone else, but destined to become the last ball ever hit by one of the most beloved Cubs of the modern era: Anthony Rizzo.
A Legend’s Quiet Farewell
Anthony Rizzo, the cornerstone of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series championship, quietly stepped into the batter’s box that afternoon amid whispers that it might be his final at-bat. Injuries had piled up, and Rizzo himself had hinted earlier in the week that he was “at peace with whatever happens next.”
When he made contact—lining a single into right field—few realized the weight of what they had just witnessed. Rizzo jogged to first base, tipped his helmet to the crowd, and moments later, manager David Ross sent a pinch runner. As Rizzo walked off the field, the fans rose to their feet, thunderous applause cascading through Wrigley.
He waved once, smiled faintly, and disappeared into the dugout. Just like that, the career of a Chicago icon came to a quiet close.
The Catch That Changed Everything
While fans processed what had just happened, one man in the right-field bleachers was holding a piece of history without yet realizing it.
The ball from Rizzo’s hit had ricocheted off the wall, been scooped up by a fielder, and then tossed into the stands between innings. It found its way into the hands of 29-year-old Cubs fan Daniel Ortega, who had been attending games at Wrigley since he was a child.
“I caught it barehanded,” Ortega recalled later. “Didn’t even have my glove that day. I just stuck my hand out, and suddenly everyone around me was cheering. But at first, I didn’t know it was the ball.”
It wasn’t until a fellow fan showed him a clip on their phone, pointing out the unique scuff marks and the timing of the toss, that Ortega realized: he was holding Anthony Rizzo’s final career hit ball.
The Offer He Couldn’t Refuse—But Did
Within minutes, Ortega said, ushers approached and quietly asked if he’d be willing to return the ball to the team. The Cubs’ staff explained that Rizzo might want it for his personal collection, given its significance.
Almost immediately, whispers began swirling online. By the time Ortega checked his phone, offers from memorabilia collectors had already started flooding his social media inbox—some reportedly offering thousands of dollars for the historic keepsake.
But Ortega didn’t hesitate.
“I told them, ‘I don’t want any money for it,’” he said. “This is Rizzo. He gave us everything. A World Series, leadership, joy. The least I can do is make sure he gets this ball. It belongs to him, not me.”
A Simple Request
Instead of cash, Ortega had only one request.
“Just… let me meet him. Just for a second. I don’t even need a photo. I just want to shake his hand and say thank you.”
The Cubs organization agreed immediately. They took the ball, documented its authenticity, and arranged for Ortega to meet Rizzo privately after the game.
An Emotional Meeting Behind the Clubhouse Doors
Later that evening, deep inside the bowels of Wrigley Field, Ortega was led through a series of hallways until he reached a small room near the players’ locker area. There stood Anthony Rizzo, no longer in uniform, wearing a Cubs hoodie and holding the very baseball Ortega had just given back.
For a moment, Ortega was speechless.
“I just blurted out, ‘Thank you for everything,’” Ortega said, his voice breaking as he recounted the meeting. “He smiled, gave me a hug, and said, ‘No—thank you for being part of this.’”
Rizzo then signed a different ball for Ortega as a personal keepsake and posed for a quick photo, despite Ortega’s initial insistence that he didn’t need one.
“It was surreal,” Ortega said. “I’ve watched this man for over a decade. He’s been the heart of the team. And there he was, just… thanking me.”
A Symbol of What Makes Baseball Special
In a sports world often dominated by headlines about record contracts, endorsement deals, and player controversies, this quiet moment cut through the noise. It reminded everyone watching that baseball—at its core—is still about connection. About the invisible threads tying players and fans together through generations.
Anthony Rizzo, for so long the face of the Cubs’ revival, had given Chicago everything he had. And in the end, a fan gave something back—not for money, not for fame, but out of love.
“People keep telling me I could’ve sold it for a fortune,” Ortega said. “But that never crossed my mind. How do you put a price on what Rizzo gave this city? On what he gave me as a fan? Some things are worth more than money.”
The Ripple Effect
Since news of the gesture broke, Ortega has been flooded with messages from fans across the country praising his selflessness. Cubs players past and present have quietly reached out to thank him. Even rival fans have chimed in, calling the act “what sports is all about.”
“Baseball creates these shared memories,” Ortega reflected. “We remember where we were when Rizzo caught that final out in the World Series. We remember the walk-off home runs. And now I’ll remember this—the day I gave back his last ball, and got to say thank you.”
A Fitting Ending
Rizzo has not officially announced his retirement, but many insiders believe that single in his final game was the last swing of his storied career. If it was, then perhaps it’s fitting that his final act as a player ended with a gesture of gratitude—from him to the fans, and from a fan right back to him.
In the quiet aftermath of his final at-bat, Anthony Rizzo didn’t just leave behind statistics or trophies. He left behind something rarer: a reminder that the bond between a city and its heroes isn’t measured in dollars or headlines, but in moments of human connection.
And thanks to one fan’s generosity, that bond was celebrated in the most beautiful way possible—with nothing more than a baseball, a handshake, and a heartfelt hello.