A 10-year-old Giants fan named John Pizzi and his father had great seats at AT&T Park on Sunday. First row, between the mound and home plate on the first-base side. A nice place to have a glove on you, too, and to be paying attention for foul balls.
One out of two was enough for the Pizzis, who were both enthralled and relieved after the boy reached out to catch a foul ball that was headed for the father's head. The elder Pizzi had been distracted and wasn't looking when Brandon Crawford of the Giants bounced a ball their way. It wasn't the hardest-hit ball ever, but it would have hurt Mr. Puzzi's noggin.
If his heir hadn't intervened:
Here's a wider perspective on the moment:
Good job, sonny boy! What do you have to say for yourself?
"I didn't really see it coming, it was... it came, I stuck my glove out and caught it while my dad wasn't looking. He turned around, I show him the ball, he starts laughing."
That's what it's all about. Man brings boy to ballpark. Kid brings glove. Foul ball happens. Man distracted. Kid saves dad. Kid gets a fist bump. Kid smiles. America.
