Weird things happen in baseball every day, but this season has just been perfect for dads who carry their babies around. A Cubs fan at Wrigley Field made an incredible catch Tuesday night, although it did help the Dodgers get an extra out.
Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel hit a popup to the foul territory on the first base side and would have either hit the tarp or landed in Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez’s glove. But fan Keith Harley was sure that it probably would have hit his infant son Isaac, so he instinctively grabbed the ball before Gonzalez caught it. Isaac remained cradled in his dad’s left arm, still sucking on his bottle.
Initially the umpires called it a foul ball, but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly challenged the play. After looking at the replay, the umpires called Hammel out. Gonzalez would have caught the ball if Keith didn’t get in the way.
“It would have been more impressive if the baby would have caught it,” Gonzalez told MLB.com.
“That was outstanding," Cubs manager Joe Maddon added. "You worry about the baby, of course, but it looked like he had it under control. It looked like he did it before, almost. That was a great play."
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a dad make an amazing play at a ballpark. Last month, a Phillies fan caught a foul ball while his baby was strapped on.
screenshot from YouTube video