Pirates fan makes a perfect barehanded grab

On Sunday at PNC Park, one Pittsburgh Pirates fan performed a public service for everyone watching. He made a barehanded grab of a foul ball that was so perfect that it demonstrated to everyone exactly how it should be done.

So let’s look at how exactly he got it done. It happened in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Pirates’ game against the Philadelphia Phillies. On the 3-2 pitch, catcher Elias Diaz hit the ball foul, and it careened toward the stands on the first base side. It sailed over the Phillies’ dugout, and it was headed right for a Pirates fan sitting with his son.

The man reacted quickly, rising from his seat part way, both hands up in front of him protecting his face. His hands ended up forming a little basket that the ball zoomed right into. The force of the ball falling into his hands caused him to lean back and to the side somewhat, but he didn’t have to jump to make the catch, and he didn’t fall over when it was done. His son reacted smartly as well, getting out of the way of the screaming projectile instead of trying to help his dad catch it. (I can’t imagine that would have ended well.)

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It was a fantastic barehanded grab, and everyone around him was rightly impressed. Once he handed the ball to his son (after some well-deserved celebration), the camera showed him pointing to one of his fingers. Considering how fast the ball was traveling, it’s amazing that dude’s fingers were still attached at all. Hopefully he escaped unharmed and his only souvenir from that catch is that baseball and not a broken finger and a cast.

Regardless, we all owe him thanks for showing us how it’s done. The next time you’re faced with a catch in the stands, remember: two hands, protect your face, don’t fall down.

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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher