Getting tired of the "give the ball to a child" meme

[WestEddy]

I'm on this lady's side. Don't run 15 seats over to grab a baseball that's right in front of someone else. And who's to say she wasn't going to a Children's Hospital after the game to give that ball to a dying child?

 

ALERT: 🚨 X users are asking for the image of the woman who DEMANDED a ball from a father and his LITTLE BOY at a Phillies game tonight to go viral, so she may be held accountable.

HERE SHE IS. pic.twitter.com/xIIA5cBJHm

— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) September 6, 2025

 

[nrockway]

It’s just one of those things you gotta do. It’s social convention. Not one I’m willing to buck.
I went to a Sox game with a friend once and she told me, “why don’t you just keep it if you want it?” I’m like, “just because”. It’s just one of those things. 

[Milkman delivers]

Ice-cold take.

First of all, unless that ball is in your hands, it’s anyone’s. Doesn’t matter how far someone ran to get it.

Secondly, I would get suspended for saying the words I’d use to describe grown men (and women) who grab balls/hats/etc. that were intended for children.

[77 Hitmen]

On 9/6/2025 at 2:32 PM, WestEddy said:

I'm on this lady's side. Don't run 15 seats over to grab a baseball that's right in front of someone else. And who's to say she wasn't going to a Children's Hospital after the game to give that ball to a dying child?

 

 

 

Using a very very very very very extremely unlikely scenario is a rather weak argument.   I guess we can just go ahead an excuse any boorish behavior because we just never know if that person is doing something for a dying child.  That asshole who cut me off in traffic the other day?  I shouldn't get mad, he might be rushing to see a dying child!  Come on.

And to be clear, this person didn't wrestle the ball away from a kid, she KARENED her way to getting the baseball after some kind dude gave it to a child.

You know what I'm getting tired of?  These loudmouths who think they can verbally bully their way into getting what they want.   And people might be tired of the term "Karen", but this women fits the bill to a tee and totally deserves it.  

[WestEddy]

20 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Using a very very very very very extremely unlikely scenario is a rather weak argument.   I guess we can just go ahead an excuse any boorish behavior because we just never know if that person is doing something for a dying child.  That asshole who cut me off in traffic the other day?  I shouldn't get mad, he might be rushing to see a dying child!  Come on.

And to be clear, this person didn't wrestle the ball away from a kid, she KARENED her way to getting the baseball after some kind dude gave it to a child.

You know what I'm getting tired of?  These loudmouths who think they can verbally bully their way into getting what they want.   And people might be tired of the term "Karen", but this women fits the bill to a tee and totally deserves it.  

First of all, I'm pretty sure that was his own kid. It would be extremely weird if he ran over got the ball, then didn't give it to his own kid. 2nd, it is too bad that she had to go over and give him what for. That looked like a very authentic moment of the guy hugging his kid and just sharing that moment with him. She did ruin that. 

We all tend to excuse a lot of physically aggressive behavior when it comes to "going for a ball", but weaker people aren't allowed to use their own strengths? 

And as far as your counterargument? Mine and my wife's credo is "you never know what someone else is going through". So yeah, when somebody drives like an idiot, maybe they are trying to get someone to a hospital. That helps me not simmer in a rage on the road and forget about it quickly after it no longer is part of my driving experience. And even if he isn't being an a-hole, I don't need to be the guy who pulls him out of his car and beats him up. 

I don't know how this "give the ball to a child" notion ever got to be a thing. That's great. You catch a ball, give it to your kid. That's parenting. If I catch the first baseball I ever caught in my life at a game, why can't I hold onto it for a while? Why can't I give it to my nephew's kid? Seems to me that the whole act of giving the ball to a kid on camera is performative, and now that reporters and announcers are declaring that all balls that go into the stands should wind up in a child's hands, I call BS. Why don't they let everyone's kids up to the press box so they can call an inning? I'm sure that would make them happy. Then Shriffen and Stone could sign their paychecks over to some random children. Children like money, too, and it helps solidify their interest in the game. 

[Kyyle23]

Honestly the worst take you have had on this site.  Woof 

f*** that lady, she didnt have any more right to it than anyone in that row 

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Using a very very very very very extremely unlikely scenario is a rather weak argument.   I guess we can just go ahead an excuse any boorish behavior because we just never know if that person is doing something for a dying child.  That asshole who cut me off in traffic the other day?  I shouldn't get mad, he might be rushing to see a dying child!  Come on.

And to be clear, this person didn't wrestle the ball away from a kid, she KARENED her way to getting the baseball after some kind dude gave it to a child.

You know what I'm getting tired of?  These loudmouths who think they can verbally bully their way into getting what they want.   And people might be tired of the term "Karen", but this women fits the bill to a tee and totally deserves it.  

Who's to say she wasn't getting the ball to take to a Satanic ritual as a sacrifice?  

Who's to say the boy who got the ball first wasn't dying of cancer and getting a HR ball was his dying wish?

Yeah, it's absurd.  People keep talking about kid's these days being the participation trophy generation,  but they learned that behavior from people like this who act entitled to everything,  even when they didn't actually earn it.

[Kyyle23]

[WestEddy]

2 hours ago, Kyyle23 said:

Honestly the worst take you have had on this site.  Woof 

f*** that lady, she didnt have any more right to it than anyone in that row 

Of course I'm being facetious about the child in a wheelchair, but there was an incident this week that went "sorta" viral, of some dude ripping a foul ball out of an old dude's hand, like the next pitch happened, and he got booed, but Barstool sports sure wasn't posting multiple times encouraging people to dox him so his life became hell. 

She should have just let it drop. It seems a little sus that we don't think twice about throwing elbows, people running up and knocking somebody out of their row to catch a ball, but scolding the dude is so much worse. 

[Kyyle23]

3 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Of course I'm being facetious about the child in a wheelchair, but there was an incident this week that went "sorta" viral, of some dude ripping a foul ball out of an old dude's hand, like the next pitch happened, and he got booed, but Barstool sports sure wasn't posting multiple times encouraging people to dox him so his life became hell. 

She should have just let it drop. It seems a little sus that we don't think twice about throwing elbows, people running up and knocking somebody out of their row to catch a ball, but scolding the dude is so much worse. 

That father threw no elbows, he did nothing bad.  He ended up with the ball they all were reaching for.  
 

you keep making up background stories, what if this happened what if that happened.  We saw what happened, that lady was pissed she didn’t get the ball and ran up to him and berated him in front of his son until he said “this isn’t worth it” and gave the ball back

This game is supposed to be about enjoying it with your family; and frankly it’s appalling that you believe we need to get away from giving a ball to kid when you get a foul or a home run.  We see videos every year of people doing that and the kids light up every time and those are awesome memories that make lifelong baseball players.  
 

I honestly can’t believe you are arguing this.  

 

[Quin]

When I was 10, I got hit by a foul ball and, being 10, didn't immediately think to grab the ball.

Woman next to me scrambles to get the ball and pushes my dad away when he tries to get it off the ground. She kept telling him that she HAD to have it for her grandkids, because...they telepathically knew she was in the vicinity of a ball?

If you've got a ball, give it to a kid.

[WestEddy]

16 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

That father threw no elbows, he did nothing bad.  He ended up with the ball they all were reaching for.  
 

you keep making up background stories, what if this happened what if that happened.  We saw what happened, that lady was pissed she didn’t get the ball and ran up to him and berated him in front of his son until he said “this isn’t worth it” and gave the ball back

This game is supposed to be about enjoying it with your family; and frankly it’s appalling that you believe we need to get away from giving a ball to kid when you get a foul or a home run.  We see videos every year of people doing that and the kids light up every time and those are awesome memories that make lifelong baseball players.  
 

I honestly can’t believe you are arguing this.  

 

Kyle, I don't think I can be much clearer than what I wrote:

Quote

She should have just let it drop. 

What I'm arguing is that the online backlash seems a bit misogynistic. Buy all the kids around you a hot dog at the next game and keep the foul ball. They won't remember any of it in a month. 

In my life of being at baseball games, the one ball I got I gave to the lady with us who got us all the tickets, I got a bat at a minor league game that I gave to the nephew who was with me, I caught a nerf softball at a minor league game and handed it to the child next to me, and I cleared out to let a girl with a mitt catch a foul pop into my row, so I think I probably meet everyone's definition of an awesome human being. You're welcome for my service. I just don't like the manufactured guilt trip of wanting everyone to give caught baseballs to children. Sure, if I am with a kid that I know, I'd probably give them the ball, so I don't have to hold it for the whole game. But the romance of catching a ball and giving it to a child is performative. Sign your car title over to some random child. I hear they'll cherish the memory. 

[WestEddy]

And seriously, if it's so important that a child get a baseball so that they cherish the memory of going to baseball game and become regular fans, then maybe the baseball team should make tickets free for all children, give them free food all game and make sure they all leave with a gift bag that contains a baseball, cap, some baseball cards, and candy. Lots of it. All for free. 

[southsider2k5]

3 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Kyle, I don't think I can be much clearer than what I wrote:

What I'm arguing is that the online backlash seems a bit misogynistic. Buy all the kids around you a hot dog at the next game and keep the foul ball. They won't remember any of it in a month. 

In my life of being at baseball games, the one ball I got I gave to the lady with us who got us all the tickets, I got a bat at a minor league game that I gave to the nephew who was with me, I caught a nerf softball at a minor league game and handed it to the child next to me, and I cleared out to let a girl with a mitt catch a foul pop into my row, so I think I probably meet everyone's definition of an awesome human being. You're welcome for my service. I just don't like the manufactured guilt trip of wanting everyone to give caught baseballs to children. Sure, if I am with a kid that I know, I'd probably give them the ball, so I don't have to hold it for the whole game. But the romance of catching a ball and giving it to a child is performative. Sign your car title over to some random child. I hear they'll cherish the memory. 

If she had gotten to the ball first, literally no one would have said a word.

No one also would have said a word if the dude ran over, got the ball and kept it for himself.

This woman made herself the story when she ran up on, and put hands on, a complete stranger with his kid in a vulnerable position.  

If it had been another man who ran up on this dude and pulled the same stunt, he would have been just as rightly ridiculed for being entitled garbage. 

 

[nrockway]

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

Of course I'm being facetious about the child in a wheelchair, but there was an incident this week that went "sorta" viral, of some dude ripping a foul ball out of an old dude's hand, like the next pitch happened, and he got booed, but Barstool sports sure wasn't posting multiple times encouraging people to dox him so his life became hell. 

She should have just let it drop. It seems a little sus that we don't think twice about throwing elbows, people running up and knocking somebody out of their row to catch a ball, but scolding the dude is so much worse. 

Yeah I definitely agree with bolded. It's not actually that serious. We see this a lot. But it's childish behavior. Dad fighting for the ball is weird too.

 

This is one of those things that's actually inexcusable IMO. It's pathetic. This guy is being doxxed too which is a little extreme. I hate the internet.

[Kyyle23]

1 hour ago, nrockway said:

Yeah I definitely agree with bolded. It's not actually that serious. We see this a lot. But it's childish behavior. Dad fighting for the ball is weird too.

 

This is one of those things that's actually inexcusable IMO. It's pathetic. This guy is being doxxed too which is a little extreme. I hate the internet.

He isn’t being doxxed. He is a highly visible CEO for a big company, he was immediately recognized when this happened.  If the woman’s name is revealed, that’s doxxing.  She is a (presumably) private person.  
 

i don’t see any misogyny here.  If some guy did this exact same act after a home run it would run the exact same reaction

 

[77 Hitmen]

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

And seriously, if it's so important that a child get a baseball so that they cherish the memory of going to baseball game and become regular fans, then maybe the baseball team should make tickets free for all children, give them free food all game and make sure they all leave with a gift bag that contains a baseball, cap, some baseball cards, and candy. Lots of it. All for free. 

But it is so important that a middle aged woman get a baseball?  Maybe all middle age fans who berate others into getting their way should get free tickets and free food and gift bags?  All for free.

[WestEddy]

6 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

But it is so important that a middle aged woman get a baseball?  Maybe all middle age fans who berate others into getting their way should get free tickets and free food and gift bags?  All for free.

Exactly!! Why are they denying us all the key to happiness? Free baseballs!!

[nrockway]

11 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

He isn’t being doxxed. He is a highly visible CEO for a big company, he was immediately recognized when this happened.  If the woman’s name is revealed, that’s doxxing.  She is a (presumably) private person.  
 

i don’t see any misogyny here.  If some guy did this exact same act after a home run it would run the exact same reaction

 

Is he highly visible? I've never heard of "the paving-stone company DROGBRUK A.P. Szczerek sp.j. based in Błaszki,". I found that on Wikipedia and I assume he has a Wikipedia article now because of this event. He's some millionaire in Poland. Some chart says there are 40,000 millionaires in Poland. I guess he's a rich guy and not a proletarian, but the principle is the same. People did some sleuthing to figure this out. I think both of these people did something contemptible, but so are a bunch of people in this world,  and it's just a highlight, like, "wow that's fucked up, we shouldn't do that" but people definitely take the e-vendettas too far. I don't care to know this woman's name or anything about her. I'm just like "damn, chill out".

I don't think it's misogynistic besides the "Karen" comments...including from the announcer. I know two Karens and they're both really nice people. But yeah I think we'd criticize these people regardless of their gender. 

Edited September 8 by nrockway

[oldsox]

I didn't know what to think about it, and I still don't. One thing I learned a long time ago is that little kids need to be taught lessons all the time. Just handing a kid a baseball is not a lesson learned. Nor is handing a foul ball grounder from the ball boy to a swarm of kids. Of course I'm a hypocrite, cuz I have given a ball to a kid.

[Quin]

22 minutes ago, oldsox said:

I didn't know what to think about it, and I still don't. One thing I learned a long time ago is that little kids need to be taught lessons all the time. Just handing a kid a baseball is not a lesson learned. Nor is handing a foul ball grounder from the ball boy to a swarm of kids. Of course I'm a hypocrite, cuz I have given a ball to a kid.

What lesson does this teach little kids? To ogle umpires?

On 8/10/2025 at 8:24 AM, oldsox said:

What's she wearing?

 

[southsider2k5]

59 minutes ago, Quin said:

What lesson does this teach little kids? To ogle umpires?

 

That people can be generous, just because.  Can't have that in 2025.

[77 Hitmen]

1 hour ago, oldsox said:

I didn't know what to think about it, and I still don't. One thing I learned a long time ago is that little kids need to be taught lessons all the time. Just handing a kid a baseball is not a lesson learned. Nor is handing a foul ball grounder from the ball boy to a swarm of kids. Of course I'm a hypocrite, cuz I have given a ball to a kid.

Except that isn't what happened here.  The women in question wasn't in possession of the foul ball and then was shamed for not "handing a kid a baseball".  Quite the opposite, the kid was in the possession of the ball and a grown women demanded that the ball be handed over to her.  If it was the former scenario, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Can people not see the difference?

[WestEddy]

2 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Except that isn't what happened here.  The women in question wasn't in possession of the foul ball and then was shamed for not "handing a kid a baseball".  Quite the opposite, the kid was in the possession of the ball and a grown women demanded that the ball be handed over to her.  If it was the former scenario, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Can people not see the difference?

I see the difference and said pretty clearly that she should have just dropped the matter. I also said it was too bad she ruined a hugging moment between a father and son to unleash on the guy. 

I don't like people running from 20 seats away to grab a ball at someone's feet they're bending over to get, themselves. I understand the dynamics of "going for a ball" at a game. Maybe some people, like an older woman, gets startled and angered by strangers reaching between their legs to grab a baseball. 

And while I have given away baseballs, souvenirs thrown into the stands and a baseball bat to other people, mostly kids, I don't like the cultural brow-beating to "give a kid a ball". It's a stupid and performative guilt trip. Shriffen was going on about this during the Sunday game, and I really wonder why he doesn't spend a couple of innings handing out baseballs to children if it's so important to a child's experience to go home with a free baseball. I don't know why nobody sees this dichotomy. 

[77 Hitmen]

19 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

That people can be generous, just because.  Can't have that in 2025.

There seems to be something ingrained in modern American culture to just step over everyone else to get what you want right or wrong.  It's nothing new, but it's been normalized and in some cases lauded in the last few years.