63-Year-Old Philadelphia Phillies Fan Calls Home Run Thief ‘A Dog’

Joyce Murphy Kiner, a 63-year-old Philadelphia Phillies fan, who attempted to catch a home-run ball in the stands during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend but had it stolen from her by a bigger male fan, received a t-shirt and two front-row seats to a future Phillies game. She also called the perpetrator, a man named Jim Bergen, “a dog.”

The 63-year-old Philadelphia Phillies fan who had her home run ball stolen from her over the weekend should be just fine. 

According to ESPN’s Brett Edgerton, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hit his first career home run during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on /4/17. As the ball made its way to the stands, Phillies fan Joyce Murphy Kiner was about to grab the ball. 

However, a man dressed in a Phillies jersey got involved in the scuffle. He eventually got the ball but had to push Kiner out of the way, per ESPN.

Woman going for home run ball had it snatched away by a burly man http://t.co/vflJ0DmMD0 pic.twitter.com/HrBWhXlLAB— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) /4/19, 2015

Edgerton says Kiner did not go home empty-handed.

Former Diamondbacks manager and current television analyst Bob Brenly said, “The politeness police ought to arrest that man.” The FOX Sports Arizona broadcast sympathized with Kiner, and gave her a free Diamondbacks t-shirt, per ESPN.

Kiner also got to appear in a radio interview with Anthony Gargano of 97.5 The Fanatic on Monday to get her side on the matter. 

Kiner did not hesitate to call the perpatrator “a dog,” per 97.5 The Fanatic.

She elaborated further on her ordeal to Gargano (via The Daily Mail):

“I knew the ball was coming my way. 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.

Joyce Murphy Kiner, the woman who got bumped off the HR ball this weekend…after she got bumped said “I can’t believe you did that YOU DOG”— 975TheFanatic (@975TheFanatic) /4/18, 2015

“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.” 

A Yard Barker reader named Pat Scott informed the website the man who took Franco’s home-run ball away from Kiner is named Jim Bergen. 

Tx to the #Phillies for helping to hook-up Joyce (who was robbed of Franco’s 1st HR ball) w/ a signed bat & ball!!! pic.twitter.com/IecRTrohDF— WIP Morning Show (@WIPMorningShow) /4/19, 2015

The Daily Mail posted photos of Bergen obtained from his Facebook page, which he has since deactivated.  

97.5 The Fanatic also gave Kiner two front-row tickets to a future Phillies game and a gift from a Philadelphia jeweler, per ESPN. 

Kiners’ full interview with 97.5 The Fanatic can be listened to here. 

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