‘You do not owe that kid’: Dodgers fan refuses to hand young Braves fan the foul ball he caught, sparking heated debate online
It’s an unwritten rule when attending a baseball game that if you’re sitting next to a child and happen to catch a stray ball, you should give it to the child. There are countless heartwarming videos of adults handing a ball to a child; it’s that community spirit that reminds us all why we love the sport. But what happens when someone refuses to give up the ball they caught? Do they deserve to be shamed online for their perceived selfishness?
That’s a conundrum that’s currently got people talking online after footage of a Dodgers fan refusing to hand over a foul ball he caught to a young Braves fan went viral.
In the viral footage, the Dodgers fan appears ecstatic after catching the ball; people can be heard yelling, “Give it to the kid,” but he responds, “I’m sorry, I can’t.” Others around the man express their disapproval as a young child is seen standing a row or two back. “I’m not giving it to the kid. I feel bad, but I’m not giving it to the kid,” the man repeats.
The internet weighs in
People will discuss anything online, and after the video went viral, people quickly offered their two cents, and people are pretty split on the matter. While some believe that the man should have given the ball to the younger fan, plenty argued that he shouldn’t have to. “Forced generosity is not generosity. Leave the guy alone,” wrote one X account.
Some claimed that they would have given it to the kid, but also said that the man shouldn’t be forced to, as he caught it fair and square. “Only controversy is if someone grabs it from kids or endangers them,” one response reads. X user Ryan DePaul agreed, writing, “Adults who jump in front of kids, shove kids out of the way, or compete with kids for a ball are absolutely goofy and indefensible…”
While some adults do snatch the ball from younger fans, in this case the man caught the ball himself. DePaul added that “an adult catching a ball that is hit directly to them” is different.
There was plenty of criticism directed towards the child’s parents as well, with some claiming that the child looked too young to even know what was going on. They speculated that the parents may have wanted the ball for themselves.
The man who caught the ball also appeared to be quite young himself, with some pointing out he was practically a kid himself. Of course, his actual age is difficult to determine.
Finally, people also suggested that the man could have been intending to give the ball to someone at home, be it a little brother, cousin, or friend. They argued that it wasn’t fair to assume selfishness. Ultimately, most seemed to come to the conclusion that “you do not owe that kid the ball.”
(Featured image: Hammy Show, TikTok)
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