I Got It! I Got It! .........I Ain't Got it

The year is 1992 and my brother got me tickets to Game 6 of the NBA Championship game between Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls and the Portland Trailblazers. Long story short on the game. The Bulls made an unbelievable 4th quarter comeback to win their 2nd consecutive NBA championship. Amazing game (in the old Chicago Stadium-the place was rockin'!!)that I will never forget. Of course, you're wondering what bizarre thing happened to Danny. Well, my brother was sitting with his wife about 8 rows off the floor but he got me tickets 1st row mezzanine.  Only bad part was the other ticket he got was given to his father-in-law. Not my favorite person but whatever, I was at GAME 6 of the NBA Finals! Most everyone that has been to a sporting event and especially NBA games,  know the fans are entertained every second of the game.  Even during timeouts, they do something goofy(a guy with a trained dog, people in stands doing a contest of some form, etc....) to keep their ADD stricken fans always stimulated. Well, in between the end of the 3rd quarter and beginning of the 4th quarter, a couple of buffoons dressed up like the Blue Brothers come out and do there song/dance shtick. They're dancing around to "Sweet Home Chicago" and they end it with the short fat guy(Jake) on all fours while the tall skinny guy(Elwood) dribbles a basketball, steps on Jake's back and leaps to dunk the basketball. Crowd goes nuts! The PA announcer then says " Some lucky fan will go home with the ball Elwood just dunked. It has been signed by the entire Chicago Bulls Team!" Elwood takes the ball and whirls around once and chucks the ball into the stands. Not just into the stands but in the direction of my section. Our entire section stands up as this ball is coming our way.  Being in the front row, I had the railing separating me and the next section which was about 6 feet below me. The ball is coming directly for me. I'm leaning on the railing as this ball(seemingly in slow motion) is coming right at me. My brother's father-in-law is screaming "Danny, get it!".  With my arms outstretched, I get both my hands on the ball. You'd think that's the end of the story, boring huh? Nope. The second I get my hands on the ball, I got mobbed by what seemed like about a dozen people. I mean it's what it must be like when there's a fumble in a football game.  I got pounced on. Amazingly, I held onto the ball for a long time(long time being about 10 seconds) before the 3rd punch to my throat made me drop the ball.(Playing sports my entire life, I would have normally had no problem catching the ball but my huge mental error was that I didn't take into account that once I touched the ball it would be like an 18 year old's first night in prison)  The ball dropped into the lap of this little chubby 12 year old kid sitting in the last row in the section below me.  What are the odds that this kid who by the looks of what was around his seat(empty popcorn box, empty soda pop cup, empty plate with pizza crust on it-you get the gist) would  have his lap empty just in time for this ball to plop in it?(Guessing this little bastard was taking a breather before he decided on the Nachos or Frosty Malt as his next conquest). Everyone was cheering and thought it was just the greatest that this little boy got this treasured souvenir. I looked back at the mob that attacked me and they all were looking like "Yeah, we punched you in the throat and privates for that ball. Sorry, no hard feelings?" In all honesty, I probably would have done the same to a schmoe near me going for a ball. Well, I did get to see a championship being won  and that I will never forget. Though, I am still trying forget that little nacho eating punk that has my ball!