Longtime Detroit Tigers fan Bill Dugan brought joy to a handful of children during the team's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday when he caught five foul balls and handed them out to children seated near him. Photo by Detroit Tigers/Twitter

DETROIT, April 12 (UPI) -- A fan of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers defied odds by catching five foul balls in one game and generously sharing them with children seated near by.

The Tigers shared photos of 39-year-old Bill Dugan and the five lucky children who he was able to send home with special souvenirs.


Dugan told MLB.com that he's made a habit of catching foul balls and sharing them with kids in the stadium at Tigers games since returning to his hometown of Detroit in 1984.

"I enjoy it," he said. "t's just fun for the kids and fun for me. Not saying I'll run over a kid for a ball or anything! But they are taking numbers on who gets the next ball. It's fun."

While his haul of five balls during Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was impressive, Dugan said he once caught a total of eight foul balls between batting practice and a game in 2002.

"I have a waiting list of kids," Dugan said. "The kids are showing other kids where 'the seat' is if they want a foul ball."