PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — When a Major League Baseball player hits his first home run, it’s customary to keep the baseball as a memento for the career accomplishment. What is not customary is for a kid to try to eat the keepsake.
Phillies rookie and 2016 first overall Mickey Moniak -- who was struggling big time at the plate leading up to this -- hit his first career homer in the Phils 6-5 walk-off win over the San Francisco Giants Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park.
The opposite-field three-run jack to left field was grabbed by a group of Phillies fans that included a couple of kids, one of whom grew quite enamored with the baseball.
From experience, Citizens Bank Park has much better options for cuisine than baseballs, but that youngster didn’t care. And even though the kid appeared to have no interest in letting go of that ball, Moniak was able to retrieve it.
"I noticed that they had two little kids. One was trying to eat it, so I’m just glad it’s intact and I’m very grateful that they gave it back," he said.
When asked postgame if the ball had bite marks, Moniak wasn’t sure.
"There definitely could be, and honestly I really hope so."