Nationals' Joey Meneses sends baseball, note after man steals souvenir from girl
People throughout MLB and sports communities were shocked to see the now-viral video that shows a grown adult man swooping in to grab a baseball thrown by Washington Nationals outfielder Joey Meneses toward a 10-year-old girl during a game held at Nationals Park back on Sept. 1:
After Regina Hilliard, the girl's mother, tweeted the clip and asked the Nationals if Meneses could send a signed baseball to her daughter Avery to put a smile on her face, the club vowed to make things right.
The Nationals have done just that.
On Tuesday night, the Nationals tweeted a picture showing that Avery is about to receive both a signed baseball and a handwritten letter from Meneses.
"Avery, I'm sorry you didn't get the ball I threw to you," reads the brief note from Meneses. "I wanted to make sure you got one. So I hope this signed game ball makes up for it! Hope to see you at a game soon! Your friend, Joey."
Avery and friends attended the game between the Nationals and Oakland Athletics as part of the invited Shenandoah Rec League Babe Ruth 10U All-Star Softball team.
Per Darren Haynes and John Henry of D.C. television station WUSA9, Hilliard informed Avery about the good news.
"We were sitting at dinner when I showed her the post from the Nats," Hilliard told that outlet. "She is beyond excited and very appreciative of Joey not only sending her a signed ball but a kind note with it."
While this story has a happy ending, here's hoping adults learn from this saga and also that similar incidents won't occur at any ballparks moving forward.
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