Home runs that fall into the stands give fans a chance to get the spotlight. However, in the case of a certain fan in Cleveland, that proved not to be a good thing.
Cleveland Guardians’ slugger Daniel Schneemann hit a two-run, opposite-field homer to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the fifth inning on Monday.
An adult male, from all outward appearances, attempted to catch the ball only to drop it and have it bounce a few feet away from him. A young girl seated nearby tried to grab the ball.
At which point, the full-grown, bearded man went over and snatched it away from the young girl.
“No! He’s not gonna steal that!” said Rays play-by-play announcer Andy Freed.
“Yeah, that can’t happen,” Tampa Bay color commentator Brian Anderson said.
After the extremely troubling display, Rays reporter Ryan Bass went over to help make the situation right.
“Well, when you’re seeing something wrong has occurred, it’s nice to make up for it,” Freed said. “And Ryan Bass is making up for that Cleveland fan by going out and making friends. And she deserves that baseball.”
“What a guy,” Anderson said. “What a guy.”
“Look at that. She looks emotional with the sunglasses on,” Freed continued. “Mom giving a hug. What a sweet moment. Way to go, Ryan.”
“That’s phenomenal,” Anderson said.
“It was an interaction that was uncomfortable to watch,” Anderson added. “You felt embarrassed for the guy.”
“It was,” Freed agreed. “And, look, the brother’s happy. He gets to hold the baseball. And she’s overcome. And who can blame her? So, it went from a bad moment to, I think, a pretty happy memory.”
A bad moment to a happy memory for the kids, to be sure. However, it’s likely to be a bad moment that will live on for a very long time for that bearded Guardians fan.