I Can't Believe They Paid Me For This

Being a batboy for a Major League Baseball Team had lots of perks—free tickets for family and friends, a great view of the game, a chance to meet baseball superstars and much more. The one question that I'm always asked is, "Did you get paid?"

The reality is I would have done this job without being paid a dime. There were so many memories and experiences, that I should have paid the ballclub to work. However, I did receive a wage.

Ready for this … now remember, this was 1979. I received a flat rate of $6 per game.

Wow, that must be something like $11 a game in today's economy!

As I said, I didn't do it for the money. A typical day started at about 3:00 pm and ended about midnight. So, I earned about sixty cents an hour. That wasn't all, though. When I started, I had no idea that would I earned tips after each series. Most series ran for three games. Some of the players would give me a few bucks for helping out.

My first tip I ever earned came from Bobby Grich, the second baseman on the California Angels. After that first series of my career, Bobby became my favorite player since he gave me $20 (remember, I was just a kid!) There was no rhyme or reason to the tips that I received. Some players I would bend over backwards for and not receive any tips, and others, I would hardly do anything for and I would make out like a bandit.

My year as a batboy was also the year that Seattle hosted their first All-Star Game. I was the batboy for the National League in that game. Without realizing it was coming, I received a check from the National League offices nearly two months after the All-Star Game—$25! You can see a copy of the check above, I cashed the original.

My biggest tip? Hmm, a couple of times I walked away with a Benjamin in my pocket. So there you have it. I certainly didn't get rich working the clubhouse, but I sure did have fun.

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!