There’s just something about the prospect of catching a foul ball at a baseball game that makes people lose all sense of appropriate decorum in a public space. Sure, it’s a baseball that anyone can purchase for $25 online, but when it comes off the bat of a big-league player, they MUST have it. Some have waited their entire life for that thrill.
Just like Bob from North Jersey, a Mets fan since 1962.
During the sixth inning of Wednesday’s Game 1 doubleheader between the Mets and Pirates, the SNY broadcast sent field reporter Steve Gelbs out to the stands at PNC Park with a glove in hand. His goal was to catch a foul ball, and amazingly, that mission was accomplished in the middle of his report.
🚨 @SteveGelbs GOT A BALL 🚨
Special appearance by Bob from North Jersey, Mets fan since '62. pic.twitter.com/rijnjgdnlf
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 7, 2022
As Gelbs was basking in the glory of his souvenir, a group of fans surrounded the reporter to ask for the baseball. The prominent voice among the crowd was Bob. He said he is 70 years old and never got a ball from a baseball game in his life. Gelbs wasn’t particularly moved by Bob’s pleading for the baseball, but as the crowd grew, Gelbs did give Bob from North Jersey some airtime.
But no, Bob did not get the baseball. Besides if you’re 70 years old and haven’t caught a foul ball, wouldn’t you want to actually earn the souvenir? It can’t be the same satisfaction to beg another grown adult to hand you the baseball. You just need to stay determined and catch your own baseball one day … or … you could buy the $25 baseball, throw it in some dirt and basically have the same thing.
Either way, baseball fans had plenty of thoughts about the scene in Pittsburgh.
This was how Twitter reacted
this is so funny 😭 https://t.co/gNKQYM12Hi
— metstina (@markstanha) September 7, 2022
between this and the cup snake in Chicago, Steve Gelbs is having the season of his life https://t.co/Rk9F6R2j1g
— Samuel Rubenfeld🔥 (@srubenfeld) September 7, 2022
Security 😂😂😂 https://t.co/b6P6wIBKyo
— Choco (@Choco10141) September 7, 2022
We were not disappointed. https://t.co/GbatJeG01g
— Jen Connic (@jenconnic) September 7, 2022
Nah this is so funny why the hell were they like vultures LOL https://t.co/5z49cqYZqA
— Jolly (@Jolly_Olive) September 7, 2022
Dead at the tenacity of Steve absolutely refusing to give a franchise long fan a worthless foul ball. An icon https://t.co/Hg8fmBaZBK
— sara (@contentnausea) September 7, 2022
That's MISTER Gelbs to you #LGM https://t.co/LpFkmkNfID
— Matt Kirkpatrick (@MattKirky) September 7, 2022
This was too good, so funny! https://t.co/jVbnZRMJHE
— Vincent Fossetta (@vinfoss) September 7, 2022
bob is goated https://t.co/YiWmmvA5rR
— Johnny Riddles (@silvershow11) September 7, 2022
The sequence was so great that nobody seemed to notice that the Pirates scored right at the end of the clip. Legendary broadcast moment all around.
