Viral Phillies fan faces criticism from ESPN hosts

ESPN hosts Nicole Briscoe and Michael Eaves slammed the Philadelphia Phillies fan who demanded a home run ball from a young boy during a game against the Miami Marlins.

The incident occurred during Friday night’s game between the Phillies and Marlins. Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader hit a solo home run into the stands of loanDepot Park. Phillies fans in the stands made a mad dash for the ball when it appeared a young boy got to the ball first.

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Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader (2) reacts after striking out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Miami.  (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

A woman in a Phillies jersey was seen marching over to the boy’s family and demanding to his father that he give the ball back. The man gave the ball to the irate woman. However, it created a ton of reaction on social media.

“Oh she went after him,” Briscoe said during a “SportsCenter” segment on Friday night. “She is big mad. Like he went into her space to get the ball, but she goes on and on and on. And the dad is immediately is like, ‘Well if it means that much to you,’ then he takes the ball from his kid’s glove and goes, ‘Here, you can have it.’”

Eaves appeared to be just as stunned as Briscoe, saying, “Really lady?”

“Hate to call her a Karen, but. …” Briscoe added.

Briscoe was in agreement that the woman should feel “terrible” because she took the ball from a kid.

Philadelphia Phillies’ Harrison Bader, right, celebrates with Max Kepler (17) after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Miami.  (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The Phillies fan appeared to tell the boy’s father, “You took it from me.”

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“That was in my hands,” the woman repeated.

Later in the game, the young fan was approached by a Marlins staffer at loanDepot Park, who handed him a gift bag. 

“This is for you. I’m so sorry,” the staffer could be heard saying in a video shared on social media. 

In the end, the young fan walked away with a souvenir of his own. The Phillies shared photos on social media of Bader meeting with the fan and handing him a signed bat.

The man who gave the ball to the irate woman was identified as Drew Feltwell. He explained to a local station that he “pretty much just wanted her to go away.”

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Harrison Bader (2) celebrates with right fielder Max Kepler (17) after hitting a solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at loanDepot Park on Sept. 5, 2025. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)

He said the woman came up to him and demanded the ball.

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“I don’t even remember what she said, it was, you know, a lot of eyes on us by that time and the ball was already in his glove and she just wouldn’t stop and I mean, I’m literally leaning back as she’s in my face yelling and yelling and I pretty much just wanted her to go away because I had a fork in the road: either do something I was probably going to regret or be dad and show him how to deescalate the situation so that’s where I went,” he told NBC Philadelphia.

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