Father Whose Son Had His Home Run Ball Stolen By “Phillies Karen” Asks The Internet To Lay Off Of Her: “Leave It Alone”

Sorry, that’s not how the internet works these days.

I’m sure by now everybody has seen the viral video of the woman now dubbed the “Phillies Karen” after she threw a fit and demanded a home run ball from a young boy.

After a home run from Harrison Bader during last Friday’s game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins at LoneDepot Park, a dad ran to the end of his row hoping to get the ball for his son. But apparently, the Karen in the row behind him (who didn’t appear to have any kids with her) wanted it too, and wasn’t happy when the dad was able to snag the home run ball.

As the dad delivered the ball back to his son and the two were hugging to celebrate, the woman ran up and began yelling at him, demanding that the small child turn over the ball. And for some reason, the dad forced the kid to give it up.

A fan in the stands got a closeup of the confrontation so we got to hear what was being said, with the woman claiming that “that was ours” and telling the dad that “you took it from me.”

(Also, shoutout to the ladies heckling the woman after she storms off with her ill-gotten gain).

Now, obviously this is disgusting behavior. The #1 rule of baseball is that if you catch a ball, it should go to a kid if there’s one around. That’s not only common sense, but it’s just being a decent person. So to chase after a guy and demand a ball (that he got fair and square) from his kid? Absolutely insane.

Well luckily the Marlins caught wind of what happened and quickly made it right, sending a staff member over to apologize and deliver some gifts to the boy, who was at the park celebrating his birthday:

Sure cause I’m next to the family marlins made it right and came to the kid and his pops not only that other HR balls hit were given to the kid after the fact. pic.twitter.com/2X6wfiGlWa

— Vincenzo The Last Tree Bender (@VinceVocabulary) September 6, 2025

And not only that, but after the game the Phillies made sure that the boy got a signed bat from Harrison Bader.

The so-called “Phillies Karen” immediately turned into the most hated woman on the internet, and folks began doing what the internet does and trying to track her down.

Several posts popped up identifying the woman as Cheryl Richardson-Wagner, and claiming that she had been fired from her job with a school district in New Jersey. But Richardson-Wagner quickly took to social media to set the record straight, clarifying that not only was she not the woman in the viral video, she wasn’t even in Florida – and she’s a Red Sox fan:

“OK everyone…I’m NOT the crazy Philly Mom (but I sure would love to be as thin as she is and move as fast)… and I’m a Red Sox fan.”

And she also replied to a comment to question whether she would get an apology from those dragging her name through the mud:

“Apparently I am trending on Twitter. I wonder if I will get apologies from all of these people when the real culprit is discovered?”

Additionally, the school district that she supposedly was fired from shared a statement dispelling the rumors:

It doesn’t appear that the real Phillies Karen has been identified yet, but the father of the young boy at the center of the viral video has a message to everybody trying to track her down: Stop.

During an interview with USA Today, Drew Feltwell said he was worried that the backlash would go too far:

“Please don’t do anything to that lady. Leave it alone. You know, somebody knows her and can talk to her, that’s different. But God, I don’t want people breaking in their house and stuff like that. The internet already messed her up pretty good.”

I mean, it’s a nice thought, but that’s not really how the internet works these days. If she hasn’t been identified yet, chances are it’s only just a matter of time.The post Father Whose Son Had His Home Run Ball Stolen By “Phillies Karen” Asks The Internet To Lay Off Of Her: “Leave It Alone” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.