At Friday night’s Phillies–Marlins game at LoanDepot Park in Miami, a sweet father-son moment took an unpleasant turn when a home-run ball hit by popular Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader. It fell into the stands and bounced around the outfield seats, escaping the catch of many in the area as they grabbed for it. When a Phillies fan managed to pull it out of the scrum and hoist it into the air in victory, crowds in that section cheered.
They continued their shared joy as he then walked back over to his family to hand it to his young son, Lincoln, who was celebrating his upcoming 10th birthday. This family was creating what seemed like the perfect memory at a ballpark.
But the moment quickly soured when a woman, clad in Phillies gear and now widely dubbed “Phillies Karen,” approached, grabbed the father’s arm and demanded the ball. She insisted it “was in her hands.” Under duress, the father reluctantly retrieved the ball from his son and handed it over, much to the shock and dismay of onlookers.
New video emerges of the deranged Phillies fan, and Karen, who screamed at a man for getting a home run ball for his son.
Listen closely, she thinks he shouldn’t have gone into her area to get the ball. 🤦♂️
Did we find her yet? pic.twitter.com/9nlPI7XKPK
— Tim (@Dragonboy155) September 6, 2025
The clip immediately went viral, with fans labeling her “Karen” amid chants from the crowd. Responses escalated online: some social media users attempted to unmask her identity, even falsely naming several New Jersey residents, who all have since denied any association. A small group online defended her, arguing she may have legitimately caught the ball and instead the father was the one at fault.
Thankfully, the story took a heartwarming turn. Marlins staff comforted Lincoln with a swag bag full of goodies (including reportedly 2 tickets to a future World Series game), and after the game, Harrison Bader personally met him and gifted him a signed bat, a personalized gesture that restored joy to his birthday celebration.
Going home with a signed bat from Bader pic.twitter.com/pCaXHSjLgL
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 6, 2025
In an exclusive with Philadelphia’s NBC10, father Drew Feltwell shared that he intended to set a calm example and avoid escalation with a tough decision he said “killed” him, but one that ultimately led to the even better gift of the bat. He remains proud of how the evening unfolded, thanks to “good people” from Miami stadium staff to Bader himself.
Oh, and the Phillies won Friday’s game, 9-3.
