CHICAGO _ The story of "Mai Tai Guy" swiping a home run ball from the grasp of a couple of boys at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night had all the ingredients for viral video success.
It involved an adult behaving badly. It ignited a debate over Wrigley Field bleacher etiquette. And more important, it was witnessed on live TV by thousands of viewers, while many more saw the video clips on social media.
I've reported dozens of baseball fan stories over the last 38 years at the Tribune and, before that, as a freelancer at the Chicago Reader.
Some have had happy endings, some have resulted in criminal charges and sometimes fans were simply found guilty in the court of public opinion. The common denominator is they all love the game, for better or worse.
Here are my top 12 stories, in descending order:
