The Guy That Caught The Homer

Sunday night at Dodger Stadium the division play-off game between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs ended with a walk-off three run home run by Dodger third baseman Justin Turner. As explained in this account the ball was caught by a fan who has made a habit of snaring consequential long fly balls. Keith Hupp's hobby is attending Dodger games with his baseball glove in hopes of catching dingers.


There might be a certain amount of human interest in this story but more significant are the circumstances of Mr. Hupp himself.

 "Hupp, 54, retired from the South Gate Police Department in 2013 after attaining the rank of captain. He lives in San Gabriel, the city where he was born and raised."

This well-fed former public employee retired at age 50. No doubt he has more profitable things to do than watch soap operas during normal working hours but we don't how he actually spends his time. We do know, however, that if things work out the taxpayers of some region of California are going to be on the hook for his retirement benefits for perhaps 30 years or more. It's obvious why California has fiscal problems. According to this site the lucky Mr. Hupp's annual pension is $152,625.72. For you blue collar folks that translates to $73.38 per hour, based on a 40 hour week.