Major League Baseball

Woman calls Phillies fan who stole her home run ball a 'dog'

Published May. 19, 2015 12:27 p.m. ET

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A Philadelphia Phillies fan who ripped a Maikel Franco home run ball out of the hands of Joyce Murphy Kiner, a 63-year-old woman, during Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was called a "dog" by his victim during a radio interview.

Bergen’s actions were universally condemned on the Internet, but not before he was summarily ripped for his conduct by the FOX Sports Arizona broadcast team.

Color commentator Bob Brenly, the former Diamondbacks manager, slammed the notion that a grown man would steal a ball away from a woman, suggesting that “the politeness police ought to arrest that man.”

Brenly’s partner, Steve Bethiaume replied, “Well, you know, it’s Philly,” making note of the unfortunate stereotype about sports fans in that city.

Kiner appeared on Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic where she described her experience.

“I knew the ball was coming my way,” she said, as transcribed in a Daily Mail report. “My husband handed me his glove when he left his seat. I put my hand out and it hit my glove or was in my glove but the glove is too big for me.

“It fell right in the flowerbed right in front of me. I couldn’t really get up and over the fence without falling in.

“I had it in my hand and I just tried to get a good grip on it and the guy just ran over, pushed me out of the way, and then took it.

“He body-checked me really. I looked at him and said ‘I can’t believe that you dog’ but he just walked away.

“You do not do that to a lady. You hand that ball to a lady.”

The identity of the man responsible for Kiner's rise to notoriety was learned after he bragged about snagging the ball on social media, according to the Daily Mail.

In the end, Kiner may have come out ahead as a result of being victimized by the man's actions. As shown in an MLB.com video, she received a Diamondbacks shirt from FOX Sports Arizona. She also received a pair of prime seats to an upcoming Phillies game as well as a pendant from a local jeweler courtesy of 97.5 The Fanatic.

The man, meanwhile, likely is getting what he deserves: Widespread scorn for some pretty unsavory behavior.

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