A Major League Baseball game turned into a lesson in sportsmanship when a fan snatched a home run ball from a young girl. The incident occurred during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
The Incident
Guardians player Daniel Schneemann hit a home run. A fan initially caught the ball but dropped it. A little girl then recovered it. The fan, however, grabbed the ball from her hands. The Tampa Bay Rays broadcast team immediately called out the behavior.
“Noooo, he’s not gonna steal that? And then he was proud of it ... Give that ball back. C’mon,” the announcers said.
The fan later deleted his social media account after being shamed online. He claimed he returned the ball several innings later, which the girl’s mother confirmed.
Rays Make Amends
The Rays sideline reporter, Ryan Bass, gave baseballs to the girl and her brother. Their mother, Nikki DeVore, expressed gratitude on the Tampa Bay Rays Fan Club Facebook page.
“Cleveland Mom Here,” DeVore wrote. “You all watched the man steal the ball from my daughter. You know my son went to ask him for the ball, which was so brave. I just have to say thank you to Tampa for broadcasting it, when the Cleveland broadcast cut to puppies rather than showing the man stealing the ball from a child.”
She added, “I cannot thank Ryan and Tampa enough for making things right. Thank you all for looking out for ALL young baseball fans. It is top-notch sportsmanship. My daughter and I cried happy tears. I am so proud of my kids for how they handled tonight, and so proud of Tampa and its fans for standing up for my child.”
DeVore noted that the man eventually returned the home run ball 4-5 innings later. “It wasn’t the same, but we appreciated him doing the right thing… I may be Ohio Grown and forever Cleveland (Jose!!!!) but I will be a Tampa fan on principle alone.”
Hall of Shame
This ball thief joins a notorious “Hall of Shame” that includes other infamous ball-snatchers from past games.
