In Major League Baseball, spectators are strictly prohibited from interfering with play. Anyone who catches or interferes with a ball in play is immediately ejected, even if they are a child fan.
The Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks play the 2023 Major League Baseball game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., on April 26. With runners on first and third in the bottom of the seventh inning and Arizona leading 8-4, Arizona’s Tommy Pham hit a huge shot to left field.
It was a home run, but Cincinnati left fielder Spencer Steer followed the ball and made a jumping catch in front of the fence. As the ball sailed into his glove, something unexpected happened: a young boy in the stands above the left-field fence stretched out his glove.
The young fan, wearing an Arizona hat and t-shirt, snatched the ball out of Steer’s glove. The gloves collided, and the young fan snatched the ball. After the jump, Steer fell in front of the fence and looked confused as the ball was no longer in his glove.
The initial call was a home run, but video review overturned it to a fly out to left field due to fan interference. Interference was ruled because the child fan jumped the fence and entered the field of play. If not for the interference, Steer would have ended the inning with a walk.
While the video review was in progress, the young fan received an “MVP” salute from the Arizona home crowd. The fan applauded and cheered for his uncharacteristic catching ability, but was ejected by the rules after the review.
Stadium security escorted the young fan and his family away, much to the chagrin of the surrounding crowd. As the young fan left, adult spectators high-fived and encouraged him. The game ended in a 10-8 Arizona victory.온라인카지노
After the game, Arizona head coach Torrey Lovullo said, according to the Associated Press, “When I saw that, I had the same reaction as every fan in the stadium. It was an incredible play. The ball was in the steer’s glove and it looked like the kid stole it. I don’t know how she did it.”
Pam, the hitter, said, “When I saw Steer follow the ball, I didn’t think it was going to be a home run. I didn’t realize the kid had caught the ball until the video review. It was obviously interference, but kids don’t know the rules. I felt bad for the kid who got ejected.”