First, let me say that I don't get the whole "throwing back a home run ball" thing at all. If I was lucky enough to catch a home run ball — during spring training, regular season or the postseason — you'd better believe I'd keep it. That said, I do understand that if someone who is lucky enough to catch a home run ball hit by a visiting player chooses by his or her own volition to throw the ball back and sacrifice the souvenir of a lifetime, so be it. But tonight at Fenway Park, a line was crossed.
After Tigers catcher Alex Avila crushed the first pitch he saw from Clay Buchholz in the top of the sixth inning deep to right field to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead, this Red Sox fan — whether he was a husband, brother, friend or, worse yet, a stranger — FORCIBLY REMOVED the home run ball from the hand of the woman who caught it and threw it back. That is way over the line. If you watch the video again, you can see the woman protesting and the look of utter shock on her face. Hey buddy, no means no.
Here is a tweet reporting that the man who engaged in the offending grab and toss has been kicked out of Fenway. And rightfully so.
Avila's 2-run landed next section where I am sitting. 5-0. Oh no, the guy who threw the HR ball back in is now tossed out of stadium.
— Daigo Fujiwara (@DaigoFuji) October 14, 2013
