A school district in New Jersey has denied that a woman seen in a viral video demanding a home run ball from a father who had caught it for his son was one of its employees. The video, filmed during a Philadelphia Phillies game, shows the woman grabbing the man's arm and insisting the ball was hers, despite never having possessed it.
The father eventually gave up the ball to de-escalate the situation. Social media users quickly identified the woman and spread rumours that she had been fired from the Hammonton Public School District in Atlantic County. However, the district released a statement confirming she was not and had never been an employee.
In a tongue-in-cheek remark, the district added that anyone associated with the schools would have caught the ball bare-handed, avoiding the incident entirely. Another woman, Cheryl Richardson-Wagner, also denied being the fan, noting she supports the Boston Red Sox, not the Phillies.
The Phillies and the Florida Marlins, the opposing team, reached out to the boy, who was celebrating his birthday at the game. A Marlins representative apologised and gave him a goodie bag, and he later met Phillies player Harrison Bader, who signed a bat for him.
