Philadelphia Phillies right fielderBryce Harperaccidentally made a young fan’s night after he was ejected from Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.Harper, 30, became visibly upset after umpire Ángel Hernández ejected him on a check swing strike during the game’s third inning.Daniel Gelston/AP Photo; Matt Rourke/AP PhotoThe Phillies star attempted to argue the call with Hernández during an emotional outburst on the field but, ultimately, he was unsuccessful. Before returning to the dugout, Harper threw his helmet into the stands of cheering fans who were booing the ejection.The helmet ended up in the hands of 10-year-old Hayden Dorfman, according toThe Philadelphia Inquirer.Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper argues a call during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Philadelphia.Matt Rourke/AP Photo"A few security guards approached him and told him Harper wanted to sign it,“Inquirer’s Phillies writer, Alex Coffey,wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.Later, Dorfman recalled to the news outlet how they “were about to go to Shake Shack after I was done going to the bathroom [when] the security guards started calling us. They said, ‘Harper wants to sign it!'“The young fan added, “They took it and said they’d be back in around 20 minutes.“Hayden Dorfman, 10, of Voorhees, N.J., wears Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce HarperâÂÂs autographed helmet during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.Daniel Gelston/AP PhotoThe young fan told theInquirerHarper is his favorite player and that Thursday night’s game was “the best baseball game he’s ever been to” after receiving the signed helmet from the Phillies star.The sweet gesture from Harper comes shortly after the right fielderassisted a lost 7-year-old boy named Caleb in finding his familyon Aug. 4 at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.Taryn Hatcher, a reporter for NBC Sports Philadelphia,shared a videoof Harper sitting beside the boy and asking where his brothers were. The young fan, who was visibly upset and wiping away tears, then pointed out where they were sitting in the stands.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.After Harper helped reunite the boy and his brothers, the group posed for a selfie that Hatcher later shared on X.According toMLB, Caleb got separated from his brothers when they went to take pictures with the Phillies players and coaches as part of the team’s promotional photo night.Harper is a dad himself. He shares sonKrew Aron, 3, and daughterBrooklyn Elizabeth, 2, with his wifeKayla.
Philadelphia Phillies right fielderBryce Harperaccidentally made a young fan’s night after he was ejected from Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Harper, 30, became visibly upset after umpire Ángel Hernández ejected him on a check swing strike during the game’s third inning.
Daniel Gelston/AP Photo; Matt Rourke/AP Photo
The Phillies star attempted to argue the call with Hernández during an emotional outburst on the field but, ultimately, he was unsuccessful. Before returning to the dugout, Harper threw his helmet into the stands of cheering fans who were booing the ejection.
The helmet ended up in the hands of 10-year-old Hayden Dorfman, according toThe Philadelphia Inquirer.
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper argues a call during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Philadelphia.Matt Rourke/AP Photo
Matt Rourke/AP Photo
“A few security guards approached him and told him Harper wanted to sign it,“Inquirer’s Phillies writer, Alex Coffey,wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Later, Dorfman recalled to the news outlet how they “were about to go to Shake Shack after I was done going to the bathroom [when] the security guards started calling us. They said, ‘Harper wants to sign it!'”
The young fan added, “They took it and said they’d be back in around 20 minutes.”
Hayden Dorfman, 10, of Voorhees, N.J., wears Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce HarperâÂÂs autographed helmet during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.Daniel Gelston/AP Photo
Daniel Gelston/AP Photo
The young fan told theInquirerHarper is his favorite player and that Thursday night’s game was “the best baseball game he’s ever been to” after receiving the signed helmet from the Phillies star.
The sweet gesture from Harper comes shortly after the right fielderassisted a lost 7-year-old boy named Caleb in finding his familyon Aug. 4 at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.
Taryn Hatcher, a reporter for NBC Sports Philadelphia,shared a videoof Harper sitting beside the boy and asking where his brothers were. The young fan, who was visibly upset and wiping away tears, then pointed out where they were sitting in the stands.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
After Harper helped reunite the boy and his brothers, the group posed for a selfie that Hatcher later shared on X.
According toMLB, Caleb got separated from his brothers when they went to take pictures with the Phillies players and coaches as part of the team’s promotional photo night.
Harper is a dad himself. He shares sonKrew Aron, 3, and daughterBrooklyn Elizabeth, 2, with his wifeKayla.
source: people.com
