{"id":2673,"date":"2026-07-16T14:41:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2673"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:41:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:41:35","slug":"he-caught-the-winning-home-run-derby-ball-then-this-phillies-fan-did-what-felt-natural-he-threw-it-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2673","title":{"rendered":"He caught the winning Home Run Derby ball. Then this Phillies fan did what \u2018felt natural.\u2019 He threw it back."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cole Vanderslice knew there was a chance he could leave Citizens Bank Park with a Home Run Derby ball. What he didn\u2019t expect was that it would be the last one of the night.<\/p>\n

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Seated in Section 144 in left field on Monday, the former Villanova pitcher from Ocean City watched St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker launch his 12th and final homer of the championship round toward his section. The ball bounced off a row, then off a couple of gloves, and landed at Vanderslice\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n

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There wasn\u2019t much hesitation. Vanderslice, 25, a longtime Phillies fan who graduated from Villanova in 2023, made a bold, yet loyal decision to throw the Derby-winning ball back onto the field.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was surreal,\u201d Vanderslice said. \u201cBut for whatever reason, it just felt natural to throw it back. It\u2019s like a weird dream. I think a lot of Philly fans might understand catching an opposing team\u2019s ball. That one unfortunately had a little bit of stake to it, but I definitely accomplished the dream of launching a ball back onto the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He also decided to play into the moment. Fans around Vanderslice began chanting at him \u2014 Throw it back! Throw it back! <\/i>\u2014 after Walker crushed what would have been a fairy-tale ending for the home crowd: Kyle Schwarber winning the Derby in his own ballpark. <\/p>\n

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So Vanderslice rallied up the crowd, gesturing his hands upward for everyone to get louder. (He also wanted to buy himself some time so his friend could take a video.) <\/p>\n

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\u201cIt just speaks to the passion of Phillies fans,\u201d he said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t just me thinking to throw it back. There were countless people in Phillies jerseys screaming throw it back, and people might say it\u2019s the wrong thing to do. You could sell it for money. You could auction it off. You could give it back to Jordan Walker. Well, I did give it back to Jordan Walker.\u201d <\/p>\n

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There was a split second he did consider keeping it \u2014 or he at least offered it to his friend, Ronnie Gabriel. In the end, though, he doesn\u2019t regret the decision.<\/p>\n

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