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‘Phillies Karen’ or father? Who caught the home run ball first - Video sheds light
Drew Feltwell, who gave the ball to his son, said he was trying to set an example of how to de-escalate a situation with the woman dubbed as Phillies Karen.
Outrage continues over the incident where a woman approached a Philadelphia Phillies fan to ask back the home run ball he had given to his son, during the Major League Baseball (MLB) game against Miami Marlins. Though she hasn't been identified yet, the internet has dubbed her Phillies Karen, and she's been facing a lot of flak for her actions.
However, in another video, the woman can be heard saying that the ball was in her hand, and the man apparently took it from her. Now, a close-up clip of the incident has shed more light on the matter.
What the new video shows
The video, which zooms in on the incident, shows multiple hands reaching for the ball. The father, identified as Drew Feltwell, appears to grab it first and walks away, even as the woman makes a final attempt to get it.
The full clip then shows the woman walk up to the man and grab his hand to get his attention. He proceeds to give the ball to her after taking it from his son, following an intense exchange.
The new video, which gives a closer view of the chaotic scene where the ball fell in the stands, has led to X users commenting that the father had all the more reason not to give the ball back, since he got it fair and square. “So it seems the father shouldn't have been so weak and given the ball to her,” a person said. Another commented, “That was the whole thing - no one caught it. Dad just got there first.”
Yet another said, “Wow! The only way her actions could be ‘slightly’ justified is if the dad snatched the ball out of her hand. It’s clear that didn’t happen though.”
Also Read | 'She caught it': Fans defend Phillies Karen after viral ball snatching during Marlins game
While the new clip turns the tide on the woman's narrative that the ball was in her hand, Feltwell told NBC10 Philadelphia that he was “Just trying to set an example of how to de-escalate a situation in front of my son.” He shared that he was still in disbelief ‘that she walked down there like that.’
He added that he apologized to his son for giving the woman the ball, and that she was booed out of the stadium five minutes after the incident took place. “Putting the ball in his glove and then taking it back out killed me,” he told NBC10 Philadelphia.
Following the unpleasant experience for Feltwell and his family, the Marlins gave his son Lincoln some gifts, and Harrison Bader of the Phillies gave him a signed bat. The father also shared a Phillies representative also sat with the family, inviting them to meet the players.
“I wish I had the ball for my son to put in his room next to the bat, but if I had the ball, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the bat, so it worked out fine,” he said to the publication. The man also added that he would respect it if the woman came forward and offered the ball.
