Baseball

Mark Zuckerberg's Little League "career" is worth a lot of money to some folks ... because a baseball card from when he was a kid sold at auction for six figures!!!

The Facebook honcho's autographed Little League card from back in the day hauled in $120,750 in a fierce, five-day long auction.

The folks at ComicConnect.com started the bidding at $1 ... so the final sale price shows there was a ton of interest in the card.

The anonymous buyer told the auction house the Zuckerberg card would join a collection already featuring rookie cards for MLB legends Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, plus an Action Comics #1 ... summing up Zuck as "the Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Superman of social media rolled up into one."

The signed card -- which is from 1992 -- was also sold as an NFT, and that went for $1,345.

Mark played Little League in Westchester County, NY ... where the trading cards were a novelty offered to families.

The card previously belonged to Mark's former camp counselor, Allie Tarantino, and Zuckerberg signed it when he was 8 years old. Allie says he sold the card to help pay for his kids to go to college.

Mark even posted about the card last month on social media, fueling speculation he might try to swoop the card for himself. The buyer is anonymous, but as far as we know, Zuck doesn't own Babe and Mantle cards ... so, seems like someone else got it.

A fan at Tuesday night's Nationals game got so upset with a stadium usher that he hit the man in the face -- before biting him.

The wild altercation happened at Nationals Park during the ninth inning of the Nats' loss to the Atlanta Braves ... when several venue staffers appeared to try to boot a fan from his seat.

A video shot by a bystander shows fans near the guy chanting, "Get him out!" over and over again -- but the two staffers were having trouble getting him to leave.

Eventually, another usher came to the area to nudge the man away from his seat ... and that's when things took a violent turn.

You can see in the footage, the fan elbowed the usher in the face two times -- before he seemed to bite the man's hand.

Thankfully, two police officers arrived and separated the men before the situation escalated further.

Video shows the fan suffered a bloody head in the skirmish. It's unclear if the usher was injured.

We've reached out to both police and the Nationals for comment on it all, but so far, no word back yet.

Sister Jean is proving yet again that age is only a number -- the famed 103-year-old Loyola Chicago chaplain threw out the first pitch at the Cubs game, and she brought the heat!!!

The most famous nun in sports was rocking a custom No. 103 jersey as she took to the diamond on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field ... just one month after she celebrated her 103rd birthday.

Sister Jean's battery mate was Clark, the Cubs' mascot, and after he received her pitch, he hugged her as the fans in the stands roared with applause.

Sister Jean's popularity grew during the 2018 NCAA tournament when her public support of the Loyola Ramblers men's basketball team seemingly became a good luck charm.

Loyola Chicago, an 11th seed from the South bracket, went on an improbable run, knocking off Miami, Tennessee, Nevada, and Kansas State en route to the Final Four.

Sister Jean's love for the Ramblers became one of the most talked-about storylines of the tournament ... as Loyola was two wins away from winning the NCAA championship.

Unfortunately for Loyola, their fairytale story ended after they lost to Michigan, 69-57, but Sister Jean cemented herself as a superfan in the hearts and minds of college hoops fans.

Harrison Bader took a page out of Stone Cold Steve Austin's playbook on Tuesday night -- chugging three beers at once to celebrate the Yankees winning the AL East title ... and it was EPIC!!!

The New York outfielder -- who's only been a member of the Pinstripes for a few weeks after being acquired by the team in a trade with the Cardinals last month -- was seen hitting the party trick in the locker room following NY's 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 28-year-old nabbed three Bud Heavies, cracked 'em all open, then proceeded to pour each one down his face. At one point, one of his teammates even threw ANOTHER beer into the mix!!

Following the initial chug, Bader let out a burp -- and then went back for more!

Of course, he wasn't the only Yank gettin' after it following the big victory ... the team's MVP, Aaron Judge, was also spotted in the locker room enjoying a face full of champagne.

Judge didn't hit any homers in the contest -- he walked FOUR times and still remains one dinger shy of tying Roger Maris' 61 mark -- but he clearly didn't care ... even opting to sip on a Bud later in the celebration.

No word when the guys finally wound down the celly -- but it had to have wrapped up sooner than later ... they've got a game Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT.

A new horror movie is coming out next week, and the studio found a creative way to let people know about ... sending background actors to live baseball games, front and center.

We're talking about Paramount's latest offering, "Smile," which drops next Friday ... and amid a lot of "Don't Worry Darling" chatter, it seems the mountain execs were trying to find a way to break through the noise and stand out ... and they chose MLB broadcasts to do it.

Several marquee matchups aired on big-time TV stations Friday -- including Dodgers vs. Cardinals, Mets vs. A's and Yankees vs. Sox. In all of them, there was at least one person prominently positioned behind home plate that held a super creepy smile the entire time.

It was perhaps most notable during the Mets game, where a woman in a highlight green shirt (with the word SMILE written across) was standing and smiling awkwardly ... that is, until a security guard told her to park it.

Another guy in green was also spotted at the Dodgers game, sitting in silence and holding a creepy smile for much of the game. Some of them stood up at times, but mostly sat still and just held the pose ... completely committed to the gag.

Another man, this time in blue, was seen at the Yankees game ... and he got up occasionally -- with viewers at home certainly taking notice and noting it was freaking them out.

Unclear if there were more actors at other games, but these are the ones that people paid close attention to. Of course, this is good old-fashioned viral marketing ... and it would appear it worked, 'cause the stunt is getting some media coverage.

"Smile" is going up against Billy Eichner's rom-com, "Bros," next week ... not to mention any spillover from 'DWD' and other recent horror releases like "Barbarian" and "Pearl." Plus, "Avatar" is back in theaters, and it already seems to be doing well -- so tough competition.

Paramount's smiling through it all though, especially at the ballpark!

Barry Bonds is firmly in the corner of NY Yankees star Aaron Judge as he chases the single-season homerun record once set by him ... saying he wants him to break his record!

“The way he swings, he might as well hit one a day and get past me. I don’t care. Why not?” the former Giants slugger told Sportico.

Bonds -- who hit 73 home runs during the 2001 season, setting the MLB record for most ever in a single season -- also told the outlet he wants to see No.99 in a Giants uniform next season.

“I hope he signs here,” Bonds said. “Can it happen? I don’t know. It depends on what the Yankee payroll is. But we would love to have him, I’ll tell you that.”

The Yankees outfielder has been the best player in the Majors all season -- leading MLB in nearly every offensive statistical category -- and making a serious push for the Triple Crown.

FYI, the Triple Crown is super rare and means a player led the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI).

Judge tied Babe Ruth's single-season high the other night when he hit his 60th homerun against the Pirates -- pulling him within a dinger of tying Roger Maris' record of 61 homers in one season.

Judge -- who turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension from the Yankees -- will be a free agent at the end of the season, and Bonds wants him in a Giants uni.

“We in the Bay Area -- he’s a Bay Area boy -- we hope they don’t sign him, and we can get him,” Bonds said. “I would. He’s that good.”

As Judge closes in on Maris and chases Barry, he recently said Bonds hitting 73 home runs in a season is the record in his eyes, despite others who question the legitimacy of it.

"No matter what people want to say about that era of baseball, for me, they went out there and hit 73 homers and 70 homers, and that to me is what the record is."

A Roberto Clemente 1955 Topps rookie card just sold for $1,050,000 at an auction -- nearly breaking a record -- TMZ Sports has learned.

PWCC officials tell us the sale of Clemente's rookie card marks the second time a card from the legendary outfielder has passed the seven-figure mark.

As we reported, PWCC believed it could rival the previous mark for a Clemente card of $1.107 million -- and it came close.

"It's an exciting price and signals that collectors continue to see Roberto Clemente assets and vintage trading cards as a very desirable investment," said PWCC exec Jesse Craig.

"It's really amazing when these museum-quality pieces appear at auction because we not only get to curate and present the card, but we also get to discuss Roberto Clemente with new audiences."

MLB celebrated the 21st annual Roberto Clemente Day last week, with players, managers, and coaches in the Pirates-Mets game wearing No.21.

Clemente finished his Hall of Fame career with the Pirates as a 15-time All-Star, four-time batting champ, two-time World Series winner, and World Series MVP.

Aaron Judge is on the cusp of making history -- just a couple blasts away from setting both Yankees and American League home run records -- and we're told those baseballs will be worth a fortune at auction!

The 30-year-old NYY slugger leads all MLB with 60 dingers, and no one else is even close (Yordan Alvarez has 39 HR's). More importantly, the 6'7" centerfielder is knocking on history's door ...and the baseballs might as well be flying lottery tickets, according to David Kohler from SCP Auctions.

On Tuesday night, Judge tied Babe Ruth's all-time single-season high (60 HR's) -- which the Bambino set in 1927 -- a ball that Kohler estimates to be worth between $100-150K!

The fan who caught 60 gave it back to Judge in exchange for a signed bat and ball. His buddiesd also got signed baseballs. Good trade?

The next home run's big -- number 61 -- it'll tie the all-time Yankees and AL record ... set by Roger Maris in, you guessed it, 1961.

That ball, according to Kohler, will be worth between $200-250K!

Home run number 62 will set the new record Yankees and AL record, and could fetch over $500K at auction.

And, for the last HR Judge blasts, whatever number that happens to be ... that ball could be worth over $1 million!

Making the balls even more valuable ... the sports memorabilia market's on fire, and New York Yankees' merch traditionally does great on the block.

The Yankees have 15 games left in the regular season ... setting Judge on a trajectory to comfortably surpass Maris.

Judge has hit a home run a little better than once every 9 at-bats this season ... meaning AJ's on pace to finish with around 66 HR's.

The all-time single-season record is a bit convoluted. In 2001, Barry Bonds hit an astounding 73 dingers ... but, was he cheating?

Same deal with Sammy Sosa (66) and Mark McGwire (70) in 1998. Many credit the home run race with bringing fans back to baseball after the strike. However, Sosa and McGwire are both alleged steroid users.

SCP has auctioned off some of the most desirable home run baseballs ever hit ... including Bonds' all-time record-setting 756th HR ball ($752,467), the 755th ball ($186,750) that tied the legendary Hank Aaron, and the 762nd HR ball ($362,000), the all-time career record.

They've also unloaded Alex Rodriguez ($103,579), McGwire ($50,162), and Bond's 500th HR balls ($303,277).

Obviously, outside of Roger, home run records are a bit tainted ... and that's why many people believe if Aaron hits 62 plus, he'll be recognized as the true single-season home run record holder.

Easton Oliverson's family is now suing Little League Baseball after the 12-year-old was injured in a fall from his bunk bed at the Little League World Series last month ... claiming the org.'s negligence contributed to his accident and subsequent injuries.

The suit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed in Philadelphia County last week ... one month after it was reported that Oliverson suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed following a fall from his bed at the Little League World Series' dormitory complex in Williamsport.

In the docs, Oliverson's family alleges the beds at the LLWS were not safe because they did not have proper railing attached to them.

The family claims in the docs "Little League was negligent for allowing the bed to exist in a dangerous condition" -- adding it all "contributed" to Oliverson's fall.

The lawsuit is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

The attorney representing the Oliversons in the case, Ken Fulginiti, says that while Easton has returned home following several surgeries -- "he's plagued with seizures" and is battling health issues daily.

Fulginiti added that Oliverson -- a pitcher and outfielder for the Snow Canyon team -- was a "very healthy" and "very physically active" baseball player with "no problems at all" prior to his fall.

Fulginiti said he and the Oliversons are hopeful the lawsuit eventually prevents any similar situations from ever happening again.

Los Angeles Dodgers legend Maury Wills -- the MVP of the 1962 MLB season -- has sadly died at 89 years old ... the team announced Tuesday.

"The Los Angeles Dodgers are saddened by the passing of Dodger legend Maury Wills," L.A. officials wrote in a tweet. "Our thoughts are with Wills' family, teammates and friends."

A cause of death was not revealed.

Wills -- one of the greatest base stealers of all time -- initially broke into the Big Leagues with the Dodgers way back in 1959 after a lengthy career in the minors ... and he quickly became one of the best players in the sport.

The shortstop made an All-Star team in his third season with the club -- and then won league MVP honors in '62, after hitting .299 and stealing 104 bases.

Wills went on to help the Dodgers win three World Series titles ... and finished his 14-year career with seven total All-Star selections and two Gold Gloves.

Following the end of his playing days, Wills went on to manage the Seattle Mariners in the 1980 season -- before he was fired prior to the end of the 1981 season.

Wills later went on to work as a spring training instructor for the Dodgers.

Wills had such an impact on baseball, Dave Roberts, L.A.'s manager, currently wears No. 30 as an homage to the former Dodgers great.

Detroit Tigers star Javier Baez is worried for everyone in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona struck the island this weekend -- and he's now offering free food to those who are suffering from the devastating storm.

The hurricane made landfall in PR on Sunday -- and according to governor Pedro Pierluisi, it's caused "unprecedented" flooding in some areas. In fact, one flood actually forced a metal bridge to collapse in the Guaonica River.

Hurricane Fiona has also left millions without power ... which means cooking food has been difficult -- but Baez says he has people in his home country covered there -- at no cost.

"All those families who are in need of a hot meal can stop by @taquizapr in Toa Baja," the two-time All-Star said on Monday, "and we will serve it to you for FREE!!"

"If your community is affected and you're in need of hot meal, you can call 787-665-2323 (Joshua) or stop by @taquizapr and we will make all the arrangements. Blessings to all of you!"

Baez added, "I know we're going through something very difficult. I'm with you."

Puerto Rican boxing star Amanda Serrano also prayed for her home country -- saying on her social media page, "It’s storm season & we are experiencing one now."

"May we all come out safe 🙏♥"

Pierluisi said they're doing everything they can to bring back power to the island as "inspection and restoration work is being done."

A glove worn by Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson during the 1955 and 1956 Major League Baseball seasons just hit the auction block ... and it could sell for $750K!

The Wilson glove was worn on the left hand of the BK Dodgers star infielder for the final two seasons of his storied career.

Jackie's glove -- made with top-grade tanned steer hide and nylon stitching -- appears to show no signs of re-lacing, per Goldin, the auction site selling the awesome memorabilia.

The coolest part ... Jackie's iconic No. "42" -- retired by all MLB teams in 1997 in honor of his career -- is written on the glove.

Goldin believes the glove, which appears to be in its original condition, was most likely used by Jackie as a backup glove or during pre-game warm-ups.

The glove comes with a letter of authenticity (LOA) from PSA/DNA ... one of the top authenticators in the industry.

It also comes with a letter of provenance from Jack Semel -- a longtime ticket holder of the Dodgers -- who was gifted the glove as a token of appreciation when the team moved from NYC to Los Angeles.

Robinson -- a seven-time MVP, Rookie of the Year, and 1955 World Series Champ -- was inducted into the Baseball of Fame in 1962.

Every year, MLB celebrates "Jackie Robinson Day" on April 15 -- all 30 teams commemorate the life and legacy of the man attributed with breaking the sport's color barrier.

John "Bad Dude" Stearns -- a beloved New York Mets catcher and four-time All-Star -- has sadly died at 71 years old.

Former Mets exec Randye Ringler announced the news on his social media page ... saying Stearns -- who played for NY from 1975 to 1984 -- passed away on Thursday.

"May he be setting up to catch Tom Seaver in Baseball Heaven and Resting in Peace," Ringler said. "He left us all with so many wonderful memories."

A cause of death was not revealed ... but Stearns had been battling prostate cancer.

"No one played the game with more spirit or determination than John Stearns," Mets president Sandy Alderson said Friday morning. "He literally willed himself to attend Old Timers' Day last month so he could visit friends and old teammates."

"Despite his illness, he even managed to step into the batting cage to take a few swings. His nickname, 'Bad Dude' couldn’t have been more appropriate. A four-time All Star, John was one of the most complete catchers in Mets history. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family."

Stearns started his career in the show with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974 -- but only played one game before he was traded to the Mets.

He went on to become a fan favorite for the way he played behind the dish. In one of his most memorable moments as a catcher, he broke Pirates outfielder Dave Parkers' cheekbone after he tagged him to end a game in 1978.

Stearns' most famous moment, though, came in 1980 ... when he subdued a fan who ran onto the playing field. Stearns also gained notoriety for his involvement in a bench-clearing brawl weeks later.

After retirement, due to career-ending injuries, Stearns held several roles in the league including being a scout for the Mets, Brewers and Reds.

He also became an ESPN broadcaster in 1993.

If Zack Hample does what he does best, he'll end up with at least one of Albert Pujols or Aaron Judge's historic and record-breaking home run balls ... and he tells TMZ Sports they'll be in good hands -- 'cause they'd be going back to the rightful owner.

If you're unfamiliar with Hample, he's a foul ball and home run magnet at MLB games ... and has caught more than 12,000 in his lifetime -- including Alex Rodriguez's 3,000th hit and Mike Trout's first career home run.

Given Pujols' quest for 700 career home runs and Judge inching closer to Roger Maris' American League record of 61 dingers in a season ... we had to hit up Hample to see what his game plan is for the rest of the season.

Hample lays it all out -- explaining his best shot at getting one of the historic balls ... which ranges from crowd size to ticket prices and more variables.

But if he succeeds, Hample says Pujols and Judge won't have to sweat it one bit -- he wants to get the balls in the hands that they would mean the most to.

"I personally won't ask for that much," Hample said. "With the A-Rod (3,000th hit) ball, the Yankees ended up donating $150k to a children's baseball charity that I've been supporting for a number of years."

"So, if I do get a historic baseball, I'd love to give it to the player that hits it, encourage the player or the team to make a donation but I'm certainly not going to make a demand or anything like that."

Pujols currently has 697 dingers ... and Hample said any homer ball for the remainder of his career will be special. Same goes for Judge, who's currently at 57.

The Washington Nationals and Joey Meneses have made things right for the little girl who had a ball stolen from her at a game earlier month ... gifting her an autograph and a personalized note.

The incident happened back on Sept. 1 ... when a man was seen on video intercepting a baseball that was intended for the girl who was attending the Nats vs. A's game with her Shenandoah Rec League Babe Ruth 10U All-Star softball team.

According to the girl's mom, Regina Hilliard, the 10-year-old was broken up over it all -- and had hoped the Nats would do something to cheer her up.

Turns out, the team and its star outfielder, Meneses, did just that on Tuesday -- signing a ball for her, and writing her a sweet note.

"I'm sorry you didn't get the ball I threw to you," Meneses said in the card.

"I wanted to make sure you got one, so I hope this signed game ball makes up for it! Hope to see you at a game soon! Your friend, Joey."

Trevor Bauer is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by the woman who accused him of sexual assault ... claiming he has video proof, taken from bed after their second sexual encounter, which proves she lied about her injuries.

TMZ Sports obtained a motion filed by 31-year-old Bauer's legal team in southern California, which includes a video that was allegedly recorded by accuser Lindsey Hill after they had sex the night of May 16, 2021.

"She appears to be willingly in bed with a sleeping Mr. Bauer, and is smirking and uninjured," the Cy Young award winner's attorney wrote in the filing.

The clip, which we've seen, is less than 10 seconds long and doesn't contain audio.

Bauer's team believes the video -- which they say they recently received from the Pasadena police department -- proves Hill didn't actually sustain injuries to her face, torpedoing her case.

Hill previously claimed Bauer gave her two black eyes.

Bauer's accuser filed a lawsuit for battery against the pitcher in August 2022, claiming ... "Last year, disgraced Major League Baseball player Trevor Bauer violently and sadistically abused Hill in the most appalling manner imaginable, sexually battering and battering a defenseless woman."

Hill did not specify how much money she's seeking.

At the time, Trevor's team responded to the suit, saying ... "Lindsey Hill’s claims were judicially disproven last August following a hearing regarding a DVRO petition filed in bad faith."

In August 2021, a court denied Hill's request for a permanent restraining order against Bauer ... saying Hill hadn't set clear lines before they had sex. However, the judge described the injuries in photos presented as evidence as "terrible."

Despite the court's ruling, Major League Baseball hit the former Dodgers pitcher with a two-year suspension without pay.

Trevor is appealing MLB's decision.