From time to time, we hear stories from baseball games involving a ball that was hit into the stands, and an adult fan going out of his or her way to catch it, despite a nearby child who is also desperately trying to retrieve it. Well, hearing this story just chapped my butt…
As you may have heard, Outfielder Harrison Bader hit a home run this past Friday night during a game between the Phillies and Marlins in Miami. The ball flew into the stands, and Drew Feltwell caught it and gave it to his son, Lincoln, as a birthday present. Moments later, a gray-haired, bespectacled woman came over to where the father and son were seated and demanded the ball! Fans nearby say she was loud and forceful. After a few words, Feltwell reluctantly gave the ball to the woman, now known as “Phillies Karen.” Numerous pictures have flooded social media of her in the days ahead, including one of her holding the ball and gazing at it, like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings… Yeesh!! Following the game, Lincoln and his family were invited to meet Harrison Bader, who personally gave the boy a signed bat to replace the home run ball, a very classy gesture, indeed! In closing, I think as fans we need to be more respectful of others, most importantly, when a child and a fly ball are involved….Always let the child have the ball!!! It’s just common sense!!!