Have you ever seen one of these? Probably not, most people haven’t, even many pro-baseball players. It’s a Lifetime Pass. Sometimes, the passes look a little different, some flashier than others, but they all do the same thing: free admission to MLB games for life…

As explained by ThePostGame.com, it’s Major League Baseball’s version of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.

“The prestigious card grants free admission to MLB games for life to any player, manager, coach or umpire with at least eight years of MLB experience. Full-time front office personnel, including general managers, marketing and public relations officials, receive it after 25 years of service,” writes the Yahoo website.

The MLB is the only major pro-sports league that has such a program, and there isn’t some special ceremony or presentation for it. Usually, the league just mails the Pass to a recipient’s home or team clubhouse.

Yahoo! says it’s a perk that is commonly unknown. They say that even MLB’s official historian, John Thorn, “was unaware of its origins before researching it for this story.”

Former umpire Steve Palermo got his in the mail in the 1980s, but had no idea what it was. “I had no idea what it was,” he said. “I wasn’t forewarned.”

To use it, Pass recipients do not have to call in advance. They just show at the stadium’s designated VIP window and gain entrance for themselves and a guest. However, it only applies to regular-season games — not postseason or All-Star events.

The actual idea came from Ford Frick, who issued the frist Pass when he was serving as National League in the 1930s. The first Lifetime Pass was presented to former Boston Red Stockings shortstop, George Wright.

Read more about the MLB Lifetime Pass at ThePostGame.com.