Out of Bounds

WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Downtown, Pittsburgh
Steelers football wedged in window of shuttered restaurant.

Seven Days of Balls: No. 7 Cycle Ball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: South Side, Pittsburgh

Seven Days of Balls: No. 6 Baseball

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
Today, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to lock up one of the greatest records in all of professional sports: most consectutive losing seasons (17). To show support, I offer this busted baseball.

Seven Days of Balls: No. 5 Golf Ball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Strip District, Pittsburgh

A classy ball and a classy car on a not-so-classy alleyway

Seven Days of Balls: No. 4 Mickey Ball

WHEN: January 2009
WHERE: Bloomfield, Pittsburgh

Seven Days of Balls: No. 3 Basketball

WHEN: June 2009
WHERE: Braddock, Pa.
PHOTO: Gisele in Braddock

Seven Days of Balls: No. 2 Eight Ball

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Garfield, Pittsburgh

Seven Days of Balls: No. 1 Thunderball

WHEN: November 2008
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
Balls on the loose are the most commonly seen sad toy. This mini-series highlights a variety of forlorn orbs.

Mini-Series: National Park Tragedies No. 3

WHEN: July 2009
WHERE: Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
A tennis ball far from home but the wildflowers are pretty companions.

Fun With Geese

WHEN: April 2009

WHERE: Monongahela River, Downtown Pittsburgh

ADDED PATHOS: River debris
It was a dull day wading through the river muck until one goose spotted a ball.

Gulf Ball

WHEN: 2009

WHERE: Beach at abandoned pearl-fishing village, in Northern Qatar

PHOTO: Matthew T. of DC

This is going to a lonely -- and hot -- vigil for this washed-up sports ball.

Ball of Joy

WHEN: June 2009
WHERE: Shadyside, Pittsburgh
PHOTO: Lisa C.
I'm so happy that I'm not going to roll down that drain.

March Sadness

WHEN: March 2009
WHERE: Braddock, PA
PHOTO: Larry R. of Pittsburgh

While everybody's all het up over college hoops this week, this b-ball gets no love.

River of Lost Toys

WHEN: February 2009

WHERE: Station Square docks, Pittsburgh

Over the winter, a lot of trash backs up on the rivers. This epic pile-up on the Mon River is harboring a disordered flotilla of toys that headed downstream to nowhere. Leaning over the bridge, I counted over 20 balls and a couple pool noodles. Visible in all the muck: a basketball.

Sport of the Future ... on Hold

WHEN: Feb. 2009
WHERE: East Liberty, Pittsburgh

The cheapo we-care hedge of a drive-through, business-bank parking lot is a lonely place for a soccer ball.
But this ball illustrates the ephemeral nature of so many sad toys. Snapped this in the morning, it was gone by late afternoon. Rescued? Rolled away? Thrown away?

Into Every Life, Some Balls Must Roll

WHEN: December 2008
WHERE: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh

Not surprisingly, a LOT of balls wind up homeless. This semi-lucky one just missed rolling down the sewer.