An Interview With the Phillies Fan Who Threw Back Carlos Lee's Home Run at CBP

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Throwing an opposing team's home run ball back at Citizens Bank Park has been debated since the day the beautiful facility opened. Personally, I have always been against throwing the ball back on to the field, leaving that tradition to the bleacher bums at Wrigley. That said, I've never caught a home run, so I'm not 100% sure what I'd do. Peer pressure and all, ya'know?

Last night, before things got really crazy in extra innings, friend of the Level and the man behind trying to bring the Athletics back to Philadelphia, J T. Ramsay caught the ball Carlos Lee belted into the left field seats off of Cole Hamels to give the Astros the a 2-0 lead. He promptly tossed the ball back onto the field.

Following the game, we asked J T. about his cannon/experience.

[watch the home run here and look for J T. at the 18 second mark]

Enrico: Have you ever caught a ball before?

J T.: I've never caught a ball before. Not so much as a foul ball.

Sitting in left field has been pretty calm overall. Last homer thatthreatened Section 143 was a floater that Ben Francisco hit. Freaked meout because I had my infant son strapped to me. It landed harmlessly inthe flower box.

Did you think before ever catching a HR ball that you'd keep it if it were to happen?

I've given this a lot of thought actually, since we're in row 10 in143. It's always a possibility, but I stuck to the plan. Biggest fearsabout it? Not hitting the field and hitting a fan, or somehow beaningRaul if he had his back turned. Fortunately neither happened.

If a Phillie had hit it, and if I'd had my son withme, then, yeah, I would've kept it. But it was Carlos freakin' Lee andmy son wasn't with me, so I threw it back. Felt pretty good, actually.Chances are that unless I suddenly learn a knuckleball, 45,000 peopleare never going to cheer me like that again in my lifetime.

Did you give in to the peer pressure or did you always want to throw it back?

Great question. Can I admit that I sort of think that it sucks thatPhilly adopted a pretty lame Cubs thing, which has become a trendaround the league? And, really, if you're doing anything to emulate Cubsfans, you're probably forgetting the fact that they have awell-documented curse. We're past that. Doing this just seems silly tome.

All the same, it was cathartic. We never give Colerun support and a two-run bomb like that is just the sort of thing thatmakes lesser fans think he's a bum. I want to be on record that I thinkCole has been amazing this year and that if our offense were anythinglike it has been, these homers would be harmless. Throwing it back feltlike the only honest thing to do. Plus, it's the only time I'll probablyever throw a ball in a major league ballpark.
Peer pressure never really was a factor. Cheryl, oneof the women who sits in front of me, just said, "Throw it back, J T."and I had to oblige her. We're family in Section 143.

Finally, how much did that game suck?

I have a controversial answer to this question! What if I said itdidn't suck and that it exemplified what makes watching the Phillies atthe ballpark such a pleasure? Seriously, the game was blazing along for afrustrating 9 innings, when suddenly J-Roll awakes from his torpor totie it, which results in a marathon game that lasts nearly five and ahalf hours. When was the last time you saw Danys Baez come up big in ahigh leverage inning? NEVER!

Sure, the officiating was terrible. It has beenoften this season. MLB has noticed. But set that aside and consider theproduct on the field. The Phillies are frustrated. I wish they couldfire Milt Thompson again. So do your readers, I bet. Howard has an awfulnight, gets taunted by the ump, blows a gasket and gets tossed.

What happens next will forever emblazon Roy Oswaltin Phillies folklore. This isn't LaRussa putting Lohse in left duringthat 20-inning disaster of a game. This is Roy Oswalt getting the CliffLee treatment for being a team player. Do you think there's any doubt inhis mind he came to the right place now?

Will it suck if we miss the playoffs because wedropped two winnable games to the freakin' Astros? Absolutely. But gameslike this galvanize the Phillies faithful. You could've heard a pindrop in that place before Howard exploded. The crowd was going wildafter 12 AM  on a school night! The loss hurts, but you can't beat theexperience.

Enrico: So there you have it. Throw a ball back if you want, but you don't have to.

You can join J T.'s cause to bring the A's back to Philly here or read his blog here.

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