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Boy gives up foul ball at Phillies game for complete stranger celebrating 80th birthday
When 9-year-old Jameson caught a foul ball at a recent Phillies game, he told his parents he wanted to give it to a woman celebrating her birthday.
PHILADELPHIA - A woman from Montgomery County says she received a birthday gift she will never forget from a total stranger at Citizens Bank Park.
What we know:
Donna Morey celebrated her 80th birthday on September 10th with her family and sat near the third baseline at the Phillies game, hoping for a foul ball to take home.
Instead, Jameson Pennings who is only 9 years old, decided to giveaway the foul ball he had just received.
What they're saying:
"I was really absolutely amazed because he overheard my daughter talk to the ball girl about next foul would she consider giving it to me for my birthday," said Morey. "All of a sudden, this boy says to his dad, ‘I want to give that lady my ball,’ and his father says, ‘Are you sure about this,’ and the little boy looked at the ball in his glove and says yeah. They got up from their seat, came right over to me and handed me the ball."
Morey learned this selfless act involved the only ball Jameson had ever gotten at a baseball game.
James told FOX 29 over Zoom he thought giving the ball away to Morey would mean more than keeping it for himself.
"We got a ball and then like 15 minutes later, two innings later, a lady came and said that it’s her mom‘s birthday and she wanted to get a ball for her," said Jameson.
His parents Eve and James Pennings are extremely proud of their thoughtful son.
"Me being his mom makes me kind of emotional because, oh my God, we’re doing something right and everybody saw it," said Eve. "I love the fact that he’s able to express, not only to me and his relatives, but to other people to have an even greater, amazing day than what they’re already having."
As karma would have it, Jameson got another foul ball in the final inning and signed his name on the ball he gave away to Morey, who is now cherishing the foul ball turned into a proud keepsake for Morey.
"I was just blessed to be at this one with him, really, I think it was meant to be," said Morey.
The Source: Information in this story is from interviews with Donan Morley and Jameson and Eve Pennings.