Fan at Royals game catches home-run ball, but has it stolen by another spectator
A candidate for the Worst Spectator in Major League Baseball was at Kauffman Stadium this weekend.
On Friday, a fan was in position to catch a home-run ball hit by Royals first baseman Nick Pratto. Unfortunately for the man, the ball hit off the heel of his glove (sort of like Adam Engel vs. the Orioles last week).
You can see the drop in this video from MLB.com’s Anne Rogers.
Nick Pratto, home run No. 4.
The exit velocity: 104.7 mph
The distance: 388 feet pic.twitter.com/cAo5T7tZ8H— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) August 27, 2022
That fan didn’t finish the weekend empty-handed. He got a ball that Padres outfielder Juan Soto hit for a home run Sunday. Thing is, he didn’t catch this one either.
Check out this video from Twitter user Bill Spiegel. A young Royals fan caught Soto’s ball, but the ball-dropper took it away from him. This is flat-out wrong.
Watch carefully - the black spandex/beanie guy TAKES THE BALL OUT OF THE GLOVE of the other guy. @royals @BallySportsKC pic.twitter.com/6H4CMUglrd
— Bill Spiegel (@BillSpiegel) August 28, 2022
The look on the face of the kid who had the ball taken and another fan tells you this was a bad situation.
Here’s another look at the theft, and a comment from former Royals minor-league pitcher Daniel Tillo, who claimed the fan pulled that same stunt last week in Oregon.
That fan guy was in Hillsboro, Oregon last week doing the exact same thing. Stealing a homerun ball from a kids glove doesn’t seem normal lol
— Daniel Tillo (@DT4Cero) August 28, 2022
It’s difficult to tell in that video, but it’s possible the guy who took the ball tried to give the kid who actually caught it a Royals jersey (No. 62 was last worn by Eric Stout).
Even if he tried to make amends, it was a weird thing to do.
