Baseball always has a catcher – now there’s a snatcher too
The young fan robs Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer of a ball as the fans go wild. Photo: AP
In one of the oddest incidents ever witnessed in baseball, a star major league batter has been denied a home run after a pint-size fan snatched the ball from a fielder’s glove.
Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Tommy Pham stepped up to the plate and sent a towering short ro the wall, where Reds outfielder Spencer Steer timed his leap perfectly and had the ball in his glove, seemingly robbing Pham of the homer.
One problem: a little kid snatched the ball from Steer.
Also wearing a glove, the kid reached into Steer’s glove and pulled the ball out, leaving the left fielder slumped against the wall.
The umpires initially ruled Pham’s shot a homer and the hometown fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” at the kid when they saw video of his robbery.
The home run was negated after review, setting off a chorus of boos at Chase Field.
The Diamondbacks’ broadcast showed the kid and his family being removed from the game by security.
-with AAP