Alex Rodriguez could have his piece of history returned to him after all.
Zack Hample, the man who caught Rodriguez's 3,000th hit, has had a change of heart after adamantly denying that he would return the ball to the New York Yankees slugger.
"I have softened my stance a bit," Hample told Sports Illustrated. "I kind of cringe when I see my earlier quotes. I kind of came out swinging and told the Yankees, 'I appreciate all the offers. I gotta take this ball home with me tonight and just think about it over the weekend.'"
After catching the ball on Friday, Hample was met by Yankees officials who hoped to make a trade, though the avid baseball collector refused to make a deal.
"I think that someone like Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez, who has made half a billion dollars in his career, doesn't really need a favor from a normal civilian and a fan like me," Hample told reporters at the time.
After further consideration, Hample said that he'll sit down with the Yankees and see if they can work out some sort of arrangement.
"I am planning on meeting again with the Yankees soon," Hample said. "And I am contemplating a scenario where they and A-Rod could get this ball back involving a large donation to my favorite charity."
Rodriguez didn't appear overly concerned with getting the ball back, citing his World Series title in 2009 as the moment from his career he's most fond of.
"I don't have a ball, I don't have a bat, I have a memory," he said. "That lives forever."
