Major league JERK! Grown man steals baseball meant for little girl, while his girlfriend sits back and laughs: Mom slams fan who intercepted ball thrown to kids at Washington Nationals game
- An unidentified grown man at a Washington Nationals game intercepted a baseball thrown to a little girl in the stands
- Nationals outfielder Joey Meneses caught sight of Avery Hilliard, 10, as she waved her glove from the first row of the stadium
- Meneses threw the ball towards her but it was swiftly caught by a man in a Juan Soto jersey that put his baseball glove in front of Avery’s
- The man turned away and showed no remorse to the little girl
- Video of the interception has angered many social media users, who demand he be identified
- If you know who this man is, please email [email protected]
A grown man in a Juan Soto jersey intercepted a baseball thrown to a little girl by an outfielder at a Washington Nationals game Thursday night.
Avery Hilliard, 10, a youth softball player, came with her glove to the weeknight game – ready to catch a ball. But, when player Joey Meneses lobbed one into the stands where Hilliard and her teammates where waving their arms, an adult man towered over the children, snatching the ball and quickly turning away.
‘Out of no where [the man] stands up and takes the ball. He had no remorse and his girlfriend was just sitting there laughing,’ Gina Hilliard, Avery’s mother, told DailyMail.com
Gina was recording her daughter lined up in the front row of the stands when Meneses threw the ball clearly intended for the kids.
Avery held her softball glove up high as Meneses threw his baseball toward her. ‘Catch it, catch it,’ one teammate eagerly screams.
Within a blink of an eye, the unidentified man in the Soto jersey comes in from off camera and intercepts the ball that was only a foot away from landing in Avery’s glove.
‘What?!’ one incredulous girl can be heard saying in the video while Avery turned around in disappointment.
The still unidentified man swiftly walked away without making eye contact with the young baseball fans.
Gina posted video of the baffling interaction on Twitter with the tag: ‘Grown man steals baseball from little girl.’ It has since gone viral with nearly 4.5 million views.
Avery Hilliard (third from left) was waving to baseball star Joey Meneses to throw her a ball while at a Washington Nationals game on Thursday night
Avery 9third from left) saw the ball heading her way and quickly prepared as other member of her team cheered her on
Meneses threw the ball at the young girl but it was quickly intercepted by an unidentified man (far left)
Avery was with her softball league at the game and her team was in disbelief of what had happened. The man in the Soto jersey swiftly walked away without remorse, and his girlfriend laughed at his interception, according to Avery’s mother who took the video
Avery’s mom, Gina Hilliard, posted the video on Twitter and it has quickly gained traction with nearly 4.5 million views
The Shenandoah Rec Softball League Babe Ruth 10 and under team was invited to the game on Thursday for Washington Nationals Youth Champion Day. The team was recognized for their hard work in winning the state title and were enjoying the game when the unfortunate incident occurred.
In an interview with DailyMail.com, Gina said the softball league had a great day at the ball park and were recognized on the center field.
The team responded, ‘Hey Gina! Mind giving us a follow and we’ll send you a DM!’
The girls snapped photos together and with the team mascot before heading back to their seats.
Baseball star Meneses is known to throw warm up balls into the crowd and throughout the game. Towards the end of the game, Avery and her teammates eagerly went up to the baseball fence to try and wave down a ball from Meneses.
‘It was the last chance before we left,’ Gina said.
The man returned to his seat and was confronted by a team dad. The ball snatcher allegedly told the dad: ‘I bought a ticket to the game and have just as much right to the ball.’
Gina was filled with fury and had to walk away.
Despite the one bad moment in a memorable day, Gina is content that the Washington Nationals reached out to her in an attempt to amend the situation.
While the team promised to send a gift to Avery, she hopes the whole team is able to get something as well, especially since the ball was intended to be caught for everyone.
The Washington Nationals have not responded to a comment inquiry from DailyMail.com.
The Shenandoah Rec Softball League (Avery pictured far left) was invited to the game on Thursday for Washington Nationals Youth Champion Day. The girls were attempting to grab a ball thrown by a baseball star while at the game
Gina said the baseball team reached out to her and apologized. To make up for the experience, they will send an unspecified token to her daughter
Some social media users were infuriated and demanded the identity of the unidentified man.
‘Can someone please identify this guy so he is blacklisted everywhere, all the time, for the rest of his entire life,’ one person wrote.
Another added, ‘Goodness, he was throwing it specifically TO HER!’
Others believed the man had stolen balls before and may have compared him to another infamous ball snatcher at other stadiums.
‘This dude always does this and now a teenager calls him out HARD. Much pointing and shaming but he runs away to hawk more balls,’ one person wrote.
Some social media users are urging for the man, who was wearing a Soto jersey at the Thursday night Nationals game in Washington D.C., to be identified
In a similar ball snatching incident during a baseball game at Padres Stadium in San Diego last month, teenager Bruce Williams got a courtesy ball stolen from him by a man. Coincidentally, this incident also involved a Soto jersey – but this time on the actual player.
Juan Soto, who plays for the Padres, threw the ball into the stands where Williams was seated, when the man – later identified as Mark Kirsch – ran for the ball at the same time as the teenager.
‘I saw it coming to me and so I put my glove on real quick and I stood up right in my seat,’ Williams told Sports Illustrated.
‘Like it was right at me. And then all sudden, someone was just plowing over me. He was bumping into me pushed me to the side trying to get the ball and I reached over him and snagged it right out of the air.’
Kirsch snatched the ball from the teenager after it landed in his glove. He refused to give it back to the teen and instead attempted to swap Royals shirts with him in exchange then swiftly left the stadium.
In a similar situation – that coincidentally also involved Juan Soto – a grown man (middle) stole a baseball out of the grip of a teenager at a Royals baseball game last month when the Padres player threw a ball into the stands
The man, identified as Mark Kirsch (pictured middle in black), refused to give the ball back and then quickly left the stadium
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