My wife is a little emotional right now...she is happy-crying from watching this on YouTube.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - My wife is a little emotional right now...she is happy-crying from watching this on YouTube.

Posted: 9/16/2009 7:40:41 PM EDT

Steve Monforto has been coming to Phillies games since he was 3 years old, and after all that time, he finally caught his first foul ball on Tuesday night.

Then his 3-year-old daughter Emily threw it back.

It was more than just one of those many little moments in the course of a long baseball game when Jayson Werth fouled back a pitch during the bottom of the fifth inning in the Phillies' 5-0 win against Washington at Citizens Bank Park. This moment was truly Beyond Baseball.

It was the real glory of the game right there in front of you, a father hugging his little girl to assure her that she did nothing wrong, a public rite of passage to which so many parents can relate. And that is why the highlight is one of the hottest videos on MLB.com right now, and why the whole family will be on NBC's Today Show, where they will be presented with a surprise gift on Thursday morning.

"We have been inundated with calls from national and local media –– everyone wants the story because it's so heartwarming," said Bonnie Clark, the Phillies' vice president of communications, after talking today to Monforto. "The family is a great family. I talked briefly to the dad. He's been coming to Phillies games since he was 3, and now as a season-ticket holder, and he said he's never caught a foul ball. He just happened to get these seats at the last minute, took up a friend on his offer, so he sat in a different location.

"The rest is history. I told him to embrace his 15 minutes."

Watch the video, and you can see Monforto reach over the rail in the first row of 300 level seats to make nice two-handed grab. Other fans in his section were cheering. After trading fist bumps with nearby fans, Monforto high-fived Emily, who was clad in pink T-shirt and Phillies cap, and handed the ball to her. It was the natural thing for any Dad to do, right?

The Monfortos were there from Laurel Springs, N.J., and sitting a seat to Steve's right in the video is his wife, Kathleen, who has their other daughter, 15-month old Cecilia, on her lap. Kathleen's surprise reaction is visible as Emily takes that ball and fires it over the rail, to somewhere down below. Where it landed, no one knows.

"See, when she first threw it over, you know, I kind of laughed and was like, 'Oh my gosh, there it goes,'" Monforto told the local Fox TV affiliate. "But then the look on her face was that she may have done something wrong, so I wanted to let her know that ... she didn't do anything wrong."

The family was sitting near the suites of Phillies executives. Monforto said he was pleased when the club promptly delivered him a replacement ball, and this is how Clark described the scene as the Phillies went about that:

"After Emily threw the ball down, Mike Stiles [Philles senior VP of operations/administration), who sits in the executive box where our TV is, could see it happen. Mike went out to deliver a ball to her –– not the ball, but a ball –– and on his way back from their seats he was first met by Scott Palmer, who's our director of public affairs. Scott was en route to deliver one as well, and Mike indicated to him that he had already taken care of it. Then Mike was met by [general manager] Ruben Amaro, who was on his way to do the same thing.

"Everyone had the same mindset," said Clark. "We all wanted to do the same thing. Great minds think alike."

Clark said "everybody who's a parent can relate. You've been in that situation where a kid did something so innocent, you don't want to reprimand them. She thought she might have done something wrong, and he quickly reassured her that she didn't do anything wrong. Any parent can relate to the whole scenario."

Clark said Kathleen's reaction was "that she was just concerned that whoever's below them might have gotten hit. She was like, 'Did someone get hit by the ball?'"

For the record: Don't throw foul balls back.

But this was an innocent situation that people can't get enough of.

Producers at the Today Show contacted the Phillies, and the family was on its way to New York for their appearance on Thursday morning's show. Clark said the family will be presented with a surprise gift there, so expect to see it replayed again to that giant audience.

"That was a lucky catch, that I didn't drop that," Monforto said.

He has waited a long time to make a catch like that.

He had no idea what it would turn into.

Posted: 9/16/2009 7:43:27 PM EDT

[#1]

Posted: 9/16/2009 7:46:06 PM EDT

[#2]

I saw the video on the news this morning. Cute little thing.

ETA: And I could totally see my youngest daughter doing it.

Posted: 9/16/2009 7:48:58 PM EDT

[#3]

I applaud the journalist who went after the story and didn't just shake it off. Stories like this are great.

Posted: 9/16/2009 7:49:09 PM EDT

[#4]

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:20:30 PM EDT

[#5]

Awww, what a great Dad.

My dad would have thrown me after the ball.

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:25:50 PM EDT

[#6]

Awesome dad. His reaction really shows his devotion to his kid. The only thing I wonder is did the ball hit someone on a lower level?

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:31:34 PM EDT

[#7]

Why are they crying..Not making fun of anyone but it was cute but see no reason it would be a tear jerker?

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:47:53 PM EDT

[#8]

Why don't you throw the ball back?

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:47:58 PM EDT

[#9]

the plexi glass railing made me go "holy shit he's going to fall down goin for that" the first time i saw it on T.V.

then they had the close up shot

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:55:21 PM EDT

[#10]

As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:56:10 PM EDT

[#11]

The fact that this is considered "heart-warming" shows how fucked up our priorities are. As if it was merciful or extraordinary that the dad cared more about his child's emotional well-being for that 30 seconds then he did some fucking stupid $5.00 ball from some stupid ass fucking game. It's a fucking game people. Any other reaction would have been unbecoming of a father, or any human-being with two brain cells for that matter.

For the record, I am biased, because I fucking hate baseball. Talk about a piss-poor excuse for a "past-time". Real men play football, or other contact sports where you have the opportunity to legally hurt people.

Posted: 9/16/2009 10:57:15 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.

<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:04:40 PM EDT

[#13]

Golly...
there is alot of Baseball Haterade being poured on ArfCom.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:05:33 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.

<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

I'm not saying he should of spanked her or anything like that, but there have been fans asked to leave the stadium for doing the same thing. If that happened at Wrigley field they would have been ran out of town. Its a supertitison, bad juju for the home team. All I'm saying that its not that great of a story.

Like I siad if it was a Washington National hit ball and she threw it back it would be a cool story bro.

eta

I know she is three and it was cute but I don't understand all the attention that its getting.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:11:07 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:

As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.
<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

Come say this to my face. For people with an IQ of at least 100, baseball is more than just "durr durr da guy swing da bat durr durr".

Try learning a little something about the game.

Just razzin' ya.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:13:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:

As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.
And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.
<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

correctomundo

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:15:57 PM EDT

[#17]

I despise all pro sports but I was amused and chuckled when I saw this on the news

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:17:21 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:

As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.
<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

correctomundo

BIH GTFO FOAD.

Have I made myself clear?

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:19:22 PM EDT

[#19]

Saw that earlier today...dad made one helluva catch...that was so cute!

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:26:12 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.

<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

correctomundo

Baseball is America, over 100yrs of tradition. During WWI and WWII many players chose to go and defend our country. Then returned to play baseball Over 4500 American league and National League players fought in WWII many of those were very famous and probably didn't have to serve but chose to.
Boston Red Sox

Herb Bremer

Mace Brown

Wilburn Butland

Paul Campbell

Tom Carey

Ken Chapman (minor league player on Red Sox roster)

Bill Conroy

Mel Deutsch

Dom DiMaggio

Joe Dobson

Bobby Doerr

Danny Doyle

Clem Dreiseward

Al Flair

Andy Gilbert

Mickey Harris

Tex Hughson

Earl Johnson

Don Lang

Ed McGah

Roy Partee

Ed Pellagrini

Johnny Pesky

Larry Powell (minor league player on Red Sox roster)

Frankie Pytlak

Verne Richards (minor league player on Red Sox roster)

James Tabor

Charlie Wagner

Harold Wagner

Ted Williams

Chicago White Sox

Luke Appling

George Dickey

Ed Fernandes

Stan Goletz

Chet Hadjuk

Ralph Hamner (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Don Hanski

Val Heim

Myril Hoag
Ralph Hodgin

Murrell Jones

Bob Kennedy

Don Kolloway

Doyle Lade (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Ted Lyons

Dario Lodigiani

Gordon Maltzberger

William Metzig

Bill Mueller

Walter Navie (minor league player. Committed suicide October 9, 1945)

Len Perme

Dave Philley

Vince Plumbo (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Gerald Riffenburg (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Johnny Rigney

Pete Sharp (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Eddie Smith

Don Spyker (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Gene Stack (minor league player. Died of a heart attack after pitching Army game June 26, 1942)

Jack Teagan (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Gene Thomas

Thurman Tucker

Leo Wells

Sam West

Taffy Wright

Don Yohe (minor league player on White Sox roster)

Cleveland Indians

Jim Bagby Jr

Horace Brightman (minor league player on Indians roster)

Clarence "Soup" Campbell

Ed Carnett

Jack Conway

Pete Center

Chubby Dean

Hank Edwards

Harry Eisenstat

Red Embree

Bob Feller

Tom Ferrick

Vern Freiberger

Jim Hegan

Ken Keltner

Dick Klein (minor league player on Indians roster)

Vern Kohler (minor league player on Indians roster)

Joe Krakauskas

Bob Lemon (minor league player on Indians roster)

Ray Mack

Cliff Mapes (minor league player on Indians roster)

Dutch Meyer

Buster Mills

Ambrose Palica (minor league player on Indians roster)

Dave Paynter (minor league player on Indians roster)

Rusty Peters

Eddie Robinson

Henry Ruszkowski

Franklin Schulz (minor league player. Killed in action in the Philippines June 17, 1945)
Ted Sepkowski

Elmer Sidlo (minor league player on Indians roster)

Bryan Stephens (minor league player on Indians roster)

Winslow Stroupe (minor league player on Indians roster)

Ralph Weigel (minor league player on Indians roster)

Gene Woodling

Detroit Tigers

Al Benton

Jimmy Bloodworth

Tommy Bridges

Roy J Clark (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Richard Dresser (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Hoot Evers

Joe Erautt (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Moe Franklin

Clarence Gann (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Charlie Gehringer

Johnny Gorsica

Ted Gray

Hank Greenberg

Ned Harris

Bob Henny (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Pinky Higgins

Billy Hitchcock

Bobby Hogue (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Emery Hresko (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Fred Hutchinson

Russ Kerns

George Lake (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Johnny Lipon

Bill McClaren (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Barney McCosky

John McHale

Anse Moore

John Mueller (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Les Mueller

Pat Mullin

Bob Patrick

Rip Radcliff

Bill Radulovich (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Hank Riebe

Birdie Tebbetts

Virgil Trucks

Bob Uhle

Dick Wakefield

Vic Wertz (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Joseph Wessing (minor league player on Tigers roster)

Hal White

Joe Wood

New York Yankees

Rugger Ardizoia (minor league player on Yankees roster)

Eddie Bockman (minor league player on Yankees roster)

Tommy Byrne

Spud Chandler

Vince DiBiasi (minor league player on Yankees roster)

Bill Dickey

Joe DiMaggio

Joe Gordon

Buddy Hassett

Rollie Hemsley

Tommy Henrich

Billy Johnson

Herb Karpel (minor league player on Yankees roster)

Charlie Keller

Johnny Lindell

Al Lyons

Hank Majeski

Steve Peek

Mel Queen

Phil Rizzuto

Aaron Robinson

Red Ruffing

Marius Russo

Ken Sears

George Selkirk

Ken Silvestri

Steve Souchock (minor league player on Yankees roster)

Charles Stanceau

Johnny Sturm

Jake Wade

Roy Weatherly

Butch Wensloff

Philadelphia Athletics

Vern Benson

Herm Besse

Buddy Blair

Mason Bowes (minor league player on Athletics roster)

Charlie Bowles

Al Brancato

Norm Brown

Fred Caligiuri

Jim Castiglia

Sam Chapman

Lou Ciola

Joe Coleman

Eddie Collins

Pat Cooper (minor league player on Athletics roster)

Tom Clyde

Crash Davis

Gene Desautels

Hal Epps

Everett Fagan

Dick Fowler

Joe Gantenbein

Ford Garrison

Lum Harris

Bob Harris

Rankin Johnson

Jack Knott

Bruce Konopka

Bert Kuczynski

Benny McCoy

Cal McIrvin (minor league player on Athletics roster)

Phil Marchildon

Joe Moore

Ray Poole

Don Richmond

Manny Salvo

Bob Savage

Carl Scheib

George Staller

Pete Suder

Elmer Valo

Porter Vaughan

Jack Wallaesa

George Yankowski

St Louis Browns

Pete Appleton
George Archie

Johnny Berardino

Porky Biscan

Daffy Dean

Bob Doyle (minor league player on Browns roster)

Bob Dillinger (minor league player on Browns roster)

John Frye (minor league player on Browns roster)

Denny Galehouse

Joe Grace

Hank Helf

Hooks Iott

Walt Judnich

Ellis Kinder (minor league player on Browns roster)

Jack Kramer

Ardys Keller (minor league player. Killed in action in France September 29, 1944)

Alex LaMacchia

Johnny Lucadello

Barney Lutz (minor league player on Browns roster)

Red McQuillen

Frank Mancuso

Ox Miller

Al Milnar

Bob Neighbors (Recalled to service in Korean War. Reported Missing in Action August 8, 1952)
Maury Newlin

Henry Schmulbach

Bill Seinsoth (minor league player on Browns roster)

Chuck Stevens

Steve Sundra

Tom Turner

Fuzz White

Al Zarilla

Washington Senators

Lou Bevil

Lefty Brewer (minor league player. Killed in action in France June 6, 1944)

John Bucek (minor league player on Senators roster)

Bruce Campbell

Milo Candini

Vern Curtis

Jake Early

Al Evans

Elmer Gedeon (Killed in action in France April 20, 1944)
Carlton Hoberg (minor league player on Senators roster)

Sid Hudson

Joe Jacobs (minor league player on Senators roster)

Alex Kampouris

Bill Kennedy

Ed Kubuski (minor league player on Senators roster)

Hillis Layne

Bill Lefebvre

Buddy Lewis

Eddie Lyons (minor league player on Senators roster)

Phil McCullough

Ed Madjeski

Walt Masterson

Jim Mertz

Ronnie Miller

Bob Morem (minor league player on Senators roster)

Jerry Priddy

Red Roberts
Sherry Robertson
Jack Sanford
Ray Scarborough
Stan Spence
John Sullivan
Lou Thuman
Cecil Travis
Jim Trimble (signed by Senators. Killed in action at Iwo Jima March 1, 1945)
Mickey Vernon
Dick Weik (minor league player on Senators roster)
Max Wilson
Early Wynn
Ed Yost

So before you say baseball is for faggots be sure an tell that to those surviving family members that.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:32:53 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.

<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

correctomundo

Baseball is America, over 100yrs of tradition. During WWI and WWII many players chose to go and defend our country. Then returned to play baseball Over 4500 American league and National League players fought in WWII many of those were very famous and probably didn't have to serve but chose to.
Boston Red Sox

Herb Bremer

Mace Brown

SNIP
Ed Yost

So before you say baseball is for faggots be sure an tell that to those surviving family members that.

Ease up there, hoss

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:36:13 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Quoted:
As a fan you never throw back the ball hit by the home team, ever. So as a fan she did do something wrong. If it were a Washington National hit foul ball then you throw that shit back.

Flame suit on.

This is a fucking three year old dude.

And fuck baseball. Baseball is for faggots.

<flame-suit on>, but I don't give a shit. What else could the dad have possibly have done which wouldn't have warranted a kick in the nuts? Glad the Dad has his priorities straight...I would hope that most Dad's do.

I'm not saying he should of spanked her or anything like that, but there have been fans asked to leave the stadium for doing the same thing. If that happened at Wrigley field they would have been ran out of town. Its a supertitison, bad juju for the home team. All I'm saying that its not that great of a story.

Like I siad if it was a Washington National hit ball and she threw it back it would be a cool story bro.

eta

I know she is three and it was cute but I don't understand all the attention that its getting.

You are missing the bigger picture. Nobody cares that "OMG it was the home team and you never throw back a home team ball unless it a a Nationals ball" or whatever." Nobody cares. It has NOTHING to do with this story, let it go!

The point was that its good to see some nice news. A loving dad, cute girl, and baseball team that cared enough to have 3 high level people attempt to give the man another ball.

Cool story

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:48:42 PM EDT

[#23]

That was funny.

Quoted:
Awww, what a great Dad.

My dad would have thrown me after the ball.

Posted: 9/16/2009 11:50:56 PM EDT

[#24]

Ease up there, hoss

You got a point, ( deep breath ) didn't want to go about it the wrong way. But the comment about baseball is for faggots, well that struck a nerve. I don't have kids, so I guess from a parents perspective its a warm and fuzzy moment.

Posted: 9/17/2009 12:00:22 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Ease up there, hoss

You got a point, ( deep breath ) didn't want to go about it the wrong way. But the comment about baseball is for faggots, well that struck a nerve. I don't have kids, so I guess from a parents perspective its a warm and fuzzy moment.

Ehh, just someone making a BS comment....
I'm not a big Baseball fan, hate watching on TV, but I like going to games