What should have been a heartwarming birthday moment at a baseball game turned into a viral controversy. During the Phillies vs. Marlins matchup at LoanDepot Park in Miami, outfielder Harrison Bader sent a home run soaring into the crowd. Among the scramble of fans rushing to grab the prized souvenir, dad Drew Feltwell managed to pick up the ball and proudly hand it to his son, Lincoln — who was celebrating his 10th birthday. But instead of ending in cheers, the moment quickly soured when a woman stormed over, demanding the ball for herself.
Viral footage showed the woman confronting Drew only moments after he had handed the ball to his son. At first, many fans watching online speculated about what she might have said, but Drew has now revealed the shocking details. Speaking to Fox Sports, he admitted, “I can’t even repeat that on air. She was very vulgar. Screaming right in my ear that, you know, lotta bad words and, ‘That’s my ball.’” He explained that she claimed the ball belonged to her section, even though the seat where it landed had been empty. The aggressive approach left him stunned, especially as Lincoln watched the confrontation unfold on what was meant to be his special day.
In another interview, Drew described how the woman startled him by grabbing his arm and yelling, “That’s my ball!” directly in his ear. “I jumped out of my skin,” he said, recalling how she continued to insist the ball was from her seats. Faced with the uncomfortable scene, Drew made a difficult choice. “I had a fork in the road: either do something I was probably going to regret or be a dad and show my son how to de-escalate the situation.” Ultimately, he handed the ball over, prioritizing setting an example for Lincoln over holding onto the keepsake.
While fans were outraged on behalf of the father and son, the Marlins organization stepped in to make things right. A representative surprised Lincoln with a birthday prize pack, including baseballs for him and his sister. Later, the Phillies went one step further: Bader himself met Lincoln after the game and gifted him a signed bat, creating an unforgettable memory. Though the original moment was clouded by conflict, the kindness of the teams turned it into a story of resilience, sportsmanship, and a birthday that Lincoln will never forget.