Featured Image Credit: ESPN
Topics: Social Media, Sport, US News, News
Rhianna Benson
Another pitch-side moment has gone viral for all the wrong reasons this week, after a grown female baseball fan was seen 'stealing' a home run ball from a child.
The reason we say 'another', is that in the last two weeks alone, we've had a millionaire CEO named and shamed during the US Open for being filmed snatching a hat that a tennis player had signed for a pre-teen fan.
Sports fans were also horrified days later to see an obsessed fan of Grand Slam champ Jannik Sinner try to pry his way into the athlete's rucksack and nab his belongings while he signed balls on the side of the court.
Naturally, therefore, you'd think sports game attendees would've remained on their best behaviour recently, so as not to endure the wrath of the internet when they're called out over a controversy.
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Apparently, however, the memo didn't reach one female Phillies fan, who has come under fire for 'stealing' a ball from a child after berating his father while being caught on camera.
In unbelievable footage recorded during the Philadelphia Phillies' thrashing of the Miami Marlins 9-3 on Saturday (7 Sept), centre-fielder Harrison Bader could be seen scoring a home run.
After sending the ball into the stands, a middle-aged father is seen rushing to an empty row to catch the ball for his son.
In the clip, the proud father runs to the youngster before putting the ball in his glove, the young boy beaming in response.
(For reference, a long-standing baseball tradition rules that, whoever catches the ball in the crowd has the right to keep it.)
Apparently, however, a woman sitting in the rows behind the empty ones believed the ball was heading straight for her, and subsequently marched over to the father-son duo to demand they hand it back over.
In further footage obtained by a fellow fan, the woman could be heard yelling: "You took it from me. It was in my hand."
The child, Lincoln - who, The Sun report, was celebrating his birthday that same day - looked on, terrified as his dad remained in shock.
Opting not to pick a fight, the disappointed dad can then be seen taking back the ball before handing it to the disgruntled woman, who herself turned on her heels and stormed straight back to her seat, frowning.
Event organisers were reportedly horrified by the woman's treatment of the father and son, with both the Phillies and the Marlins teaming up to gift Lincoln a prize pack for his birthday, which contained a variety of gifts.
In a third video, the crowd erupts into cheers seeing Lincoln handed the prize.
Afterwards, the child was invited to meet with home run scorer Bader, who signed a bat for his young fan.
The move sparked mass praise from sports fans, many of whom also took the opportunity to condemn the 'ball-stealing' woman for her outburst.
Taking to social media, one user gushed: "Very well done! Shame on that fan for her arrogance and selfishness."
Another hit out: "The kid was happy with 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 apologise," a third demanded.