TOLEDO, Ohio — The next time you are at a baseball game with one of your kids and they tell you not to try to catch a foul ball hit into the stands… listen.
Toledoan Christopher Brown found that out the hard way during a recent Toledo Mud Hens game at Fifth Third Field.
Christopher was in the stands with his daughter for her very first baseball game when a ball flew off the bat of one of the players and appeared to be headed their way.
That’s when his daughter warned him to get out of the way of the other dads.
He didn’t listen. For him it was all about making a memory for his daughter.
“I see the ball in the air and there’s about four other dads with sons and they all have gloves, and I can hear all the kids saying ‘get it dad, get it’ and my daughter’s like ‘dad, watch out,” said Christopher. “I’m like ‘that’s not how the game goes. You have to catch the ball - glove or not’. So I just went for it.”
Unfortunately, the laws of physics weren’t working in Christopher’s favor that day and he wound up with his hand in a cast for the next three to six months.
Still, he has no regrets.
“My daughter will always know that I caught that ball for her and hopefully this is a memory and her first time at a baseball game will be memorable for the rest of her life,” said Christopher.
So yes, you’ve probably seen replays of fans making spectacular grabs on ESPN. And yes, it’s impressive.
But don’t forget Christopher’s story the next time a ball is hurtling your way at the game. It might just save you some pain and suffering.
On the other hand, he did get to keep the ball and make a pretty cool memory for his daughter.
MORE FROM WTOL 11: