Why ‘Karen’ is trending worldwide after the Phillies ball snatching controversy. Know the unexpected reason

The Phillies Karen from the September 5, 2025, Phillies-Marlins is going viral online after a moment during Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins game at loanDepot Park in Miami sparked social media frenzy. The viral clip shows Phillies center fielder Harrison Bader hit a home run and a father, Drew Feltwell, catching the ball and handing it to his son, Lincoln.

But then came Phillies Karen (later identified as Cheryl Richardson Wagner). The woman, wearing a Phillies jersey, walked down, argued, and made the man give the ball to her. The dramatic scene showed her confronting the father, grabbing his arm and demanding the ball. Cameras caught her pointing at the area where the ball landed. She shouted, “That was in my hands.”

After pressure from her, the man eventually took the ball back from his son and gave it to her. This unjustified demand led the people online to call her “Phillies Karen" and “Karen ballsnatcher". The video spread online prompting a furious reaction with netizens calling her “Phillies Karen.” The debate over who owned the ball soon became one of the biggest talking points from the game.

ALSO READ: Viral ‘Phillies Karen’ scandal takes a shocking U-turn: Woman who snatched home run ball from young fan breaks silence

Who is a Karen?

Are you also wondering what does Karen mean? The internet was quick enough to label the woman as “Phillies Karen" and “Karen Ballsnatcher", following her unruly behaviour at the Major League Baseball game. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a Karen is an “insulting term for a privileged, indignant, or discriminatory woman", reports News18.

'Karen' is a slang term used stereotypically for a “middle-class, middle-aged white woman" who often reports or unfairly lashes out at people in an angry, entitled or even a racist way.

As the father took the home run ball from his son's glove and gave it to the woman, 'Phillies Karen' walked away with the ball but the crowd was not convinced. Chants of "Karen! Karen!", rang through the ballpark and clips on social media showed the woman being booed. One fan even made a “Wanted” poster of her face online. Across X, people kept asking, “Who is Phillies Karen?”

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

Cheryl Richardson-Wagner deny Phillies Karen identify

After the video went viral online, fans all over the internet attempted to establish the true identity of the woman who snatched a Home Run baseball from a father-son duo. Some users claimed the woman was Leslie-Ann Kravitz, an employee of Hammonton Public Schools in New Jersey.

A rumor also said she was fired after the incident. On Saturday, September 6, Hammonton Public Schools released a statement denying the claim. “The woman identified on social media as ‘Phillies Karen’ is not, and has never been, an employee of the Hammonton Public Schools located in Hammonton, New Jersey,” the district said.

Another woman, Cheryl Richardson-Wagner, was also wrongly linked to the video. Her name trended after people claimed she was the fan who grabbed the ball. She later posted on Facebook to clear the air of confusion as the criticism mounted. “OK everyone… I’m NOT the crazy Philly Mom,” she wrote.

ALSO READ: Viral video: Phillies Fan sparks outrage after snatching home run ball from young boy, internet blasts her as 'Karen'

She added that she is a Boston Red Sox fan and laughed about the mix-up. The true identity of the woman in the video has still not been confirmed by police, the Phillies, or the Marlins.

It is also pertinent to note that Miami Marlins stepped in to comfort the boy. A staff member gave Lincoln a gift pack while fans clapped and cheered. The Phillies later arranged something even bigger. Harrison Bader met Lincoln after the game, posed for photos, and signed a bat for him. The Phillies shared the sweet moment on their social channel, writing, “Going home with a signed bat from Bader."