US Open scandal repeats? Viral Phillies moment as young fan finally meets Harrison Bader after home run ball drama

A dispute in the stands at LoanDepot Park over a home-run ball hit by Harrison Bader in Friday's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins turned into a nice moment for a young fan. In the top of the fourth inning, outfielder Harrison Bader hit a solo homer to grow Philadelphia's lead to 5-1.

As the ball went into the stands, the boy's father scrambled to grab the home run ball, giving it to his son. But a woman, also a Phillies fan, ran over to express her anger in a video clip that went viral online. The man responded by taking the ball from his son and gave the ball to the woman.

Marlins staff member approaches fan

In the fourth inning at loanDepot Park, Bader sent a solo shot soaring into the left-field stands. Fans scrambled for the ball, but a father wearing a Phillies t-shirt managed to catch it and handed it to his thrilled son, Lincoln, who was celebrating his birthday.

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The joyful moment, however, quickly turned sour. Viral footage shows a gray-haired woman in Phillies gear confronting the father, insisting the ball had landed in her hands. After a tense exchange, she pressured him to take the ball back from his son and hand it over. Heartbroken, Lincoln was left empty-handed as the woman stormed back to her seat.

A Marlins staff member approached the young fan later in the game to give him a prize pack with Marlins merchandise. He also got to meet Bader after the game and received a signed bat from the veteran outfielder.
Even though the game was played in Miami, all the parties involved in the situation were Phillies fans. The woman had the ball hit off her chest and bounce into the row of seats in front of her, so she directed the person sitting next to her to grab it.

The father of the young boy did leave his immediate vicinity to get the ball, but it's not like anyone had dibs on it at that point.

According to The New York Post, Lincoln was at the game with his family to celebrate his birthday. In addition to his Marlins' prize pack and the signed bat from Bader, Lincoln got to enjoy a Phillies win. They defeated Miami 9-3 to maintain their six-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East.

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The incident sparked outrage online, with netizens blasting the woman’s behavior as “selfish” and “arrogant.” Comparisons were even drawn to a recent US Open controversy where a man snatched tennis player Kamil Majchrzak’s hat from a child.

Fortunately, both teams acted quickly to make amends. During the game, a Marlins staff member found Lincoln, apologized on behalf of the organization, and presented him with a prize pack that included baseballs for him and his sister. The crowd erupted in cheers as the gifts were handed over.


After the game, the Phillies went one step further. Bader met Lincoln outside the clubhouse, posed for photos, and gifted him a signed bat. “Going home with a signed bat from Bader,” the Phillies wrote on X, confirming the boy’s birthday had been made extra special despite the earlier drama. Fans online cheered the elegant reply, lauding both clubs for “transforming a bitter moment into a memory Lincoln will always cherish.”