Curveball Alert:
An irate Phillies fan drew widespread criticism after video surfaced showing her pressuring a father to give up a home run ball that he had just handed to his young son, who was celebrating his birthday.
The tense encounter was caught on camera as Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader sent a home run soaring into the left-field seats during Friday’s game against the Marlins at LoanDepot Park.
At least six fans rushed into an empty row of blue seats, trying to snatch the ball before the father, wearing a red Phillies T-shirt, reached it and secured the prized souvenir.
He then returned to his family, about five seats away, and handed the ball to his ecstatic son, identified by the Phillies as Lincoln.
But a gray-haired Phillies fan, who had failed to grab the ball in front of her seat, wasn’t about to let the moment slip away.
Seconds after the father handed the ball to his son, the woman grabbed his shoulder and berated him, attempting to stake a claim to it.
“You took it from me. It was in my hand,” she said, according to fan-recorded footage.
The two exchanged words, each pointing toward the spot where the ball had been picked up.
After a few seconds of verbal sparring, the father shockingly took the ball from his son’s glove and handed it to the woman, who stormed back to her seat.
Lincoln, however, received support from both the Phillies and the Marlins following the incident.
A Marlins representative apologized and presented the boy with a prize pack, which included various gifts, such as baseballs for him and his sister, who was seated beside him during the game.
“We brought you a cool little goodie bag,” the representative told Lincoln, handing him a plastic bag filled with gifts, according to a video posted on X.
The crowd cheered as she continued to apologize to Lincoln.
After the game, Bader invited Lincoln to meet him, presenting the boy with a signed bat. The team also revealed that it was Lincoln’s birthday on Friday.
“Going home with a signed bat from Bader,” the Phillies wrote on X, sharing photos of the outfielder signing a bat for Lincoln.
The unexpected fan confrontation prompted an outpouring of support for Lincoln on social media.
“Very well done! Shame on that fan for her arrogance and selfishness,” one user wrote. “The kid was happy just getting a baseball, and she had to make it all about herself and cause a scene. Glad the Phillies and Marlins stepped up and handled this with class.”
“She still needs to give it back and apologize,” another fan demanded.
Others praised both teams for going the extra mile to bring a smile to Lincoln’s face after the shocking incident on the sidelines.
“It’s great that the baseball team took steps to try to make the situation right,” one user wrote.
