People can acquire property through discovery and conquest. If you possess something first, you can have rights in it. The Case: Popov v. Hayashi There is an interesting case on this point: Popov v. Hayashi. At a baseball park, Barry Bonds hit a ball that landed in the right-field stands. A fan named Popov caught the ball first, but unfortunately dropped it. A melee ensued, and a man named Haya..