COBB COUNTY, Ga. — It’s a catch of the year for an Atlanta Braves fan who’s going for dad of the year title, too.
Grady Rikard decided to take in an afternoon baseball game with his wife Brittany and their children as the Braves hosted the Phillies at Truist Park Wednesday afternoon.
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In the top of the second inning, Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos hammered a home run 432 feet heading to the section where the Rikard family.
That’s when Grady sprung into action and made a one-handed grab while holding his daughter Riley. But that’s not all. In a true home-team fan fashion, Rikard tossed the Phillies home run ball back on the field.
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“As it was coming in, I said, ‘That one’s gotta go back because we can’t accept any Phillies balls out here,’” Rikard told Bally Sports South’s Kelly Crull. “Not the home run I was hoping to catch today but still got some time. Maybe Acuna will get one to me as well.”
The Rikard family told Crull that their tickets weren’t in their usual section.
“I froze unfortunately. There was a lot happening, newborn, three other kids, I just froze. But thankfully Grady was dad of the year and caught it,” Brittany Rikard said.
While Grady Rikard didn’t get a chance to catch the Acuna home run he wanted, he did go home with a baseball signed by Matt Olson.
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