Yankees fans tried bullying this kid into throwing a home run ball back onto the field, a breakdown
What Happened
In the bottom of the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium, the home team trails by a single run. Slugger Kyle "Big Dumper" Higashioka steps up to the plate, having earlier blasted a towering home run to the second deck. The ball bounces repeatedly before landing in the stands, where a mother quickly scoops it up and hands it to her young son, who is overcome with emotion. The excited boy begins to cry tears of joy, his father embracing him and exclaiming, "You got one! You got one!" However, the surrounding Yankees fans start shouting at the child, demanding that he throw the prized baseball back onto the field. Confused, the boy turns to the fans and asks, "Why? Did I do something wrong?" Longtime Yankee outfielder Aaron "Cal" Callaghan steps in, telling the child, "No, kid, that's your ball. You keep it." The fans' attempts to bully the youngster into returning the home run souvenir are met with disapproval from the veteran player. "Hey, let's stop bullying little kids into throwing home run balls back," Callaghan says firmly. The heartwarming moment highlights the special connection between a young fan and the game he loves, as well as the responsibility of veteran players to set a positive example and protect impressionable children from overzealous spectators. Despite the Yankees' narrow deficit, the focus shifts to the pure joy experienced by this fan, a poignant reminder that baseball is about more than just the final score.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentThey call him Big Dumper.
He's your home run derby champ.
Before the break, he hit this absolute moonshot to the second deck at Yankee Stadium.
It bounces, it bounces, it bounces, and this mom is a hero.
She grabs the ball, gives it to her son.
He's in tears.
He's so excited.
Dad's like, you got one, you got one.
He's crying.
He's so excited.
What?
What?
What?
Why?
Why?
The fans are telling him to throw it back.
He's like, why?
Did I do something wrong?
They're like, no, no, no, no.
Don't throw it back.
Just keep it.
Just keep it.
Cal says, yeah, kid, that's your ball.
You keep it.
Hey, let's stop bullying little kids into throwing home run balls back.