BREAKING: ‘Phillies Karen’ Identified and FIRED After Viral Ball-Snatching Scandal—Internet Cheers as Outrage Hits Her Workplace

It was supposed to be a night Lincoln Feltwell would never forget—a birthday at the ballpark, the Phillies taking on the Marlins, the kind of father-son moment that makes lifelong fans. But what happened in the fourth inning at loanDepot Park on September 5, 2025, turned into a national spectacle and a social media firestorm that left one woman’s life in ruins.

Harrison Bader’s home run soared into the stands, the crowd roaring as Drew Feltwell reached out and snagged the ball bare-handed. He smiled and slipped it into his son Lincoln’s glove, a birthday memory sealed forever—or so he thought.

Moments later, the mood shifted. A gray-haired woman, face tense, marched up to Drew and Lincoln. “Excuse me, that ball should be mine!” she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through the noise. Drew tried to reason with her, but she leaned in, pointing at the ball in Lincoln’s tiny hands. Fans in the section watched in disbelief as the woman grew louder and more insistent.

“She was so angry, I just wanted to keep my kid safe,” Drew later told reporters, the frustration still raw. Not wanting to escalate in front of his son, Drew handed the ball over. Lincoln’s smile faded. The cameras caught everything.

Within minutes, the video was everywhere—X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok. The hashtags #PhilliesKaren and #BallSnatcher trended worldwide. “She stole a birthday gift from a child!” posted one furious fan. “Philly pride at its worst,” wrote another. The internet was relentless.

As the outrage grew, the hunt for the woman’s identity began. Names flew across social media, and soon Leslie-Ann Kravitz, a New Jersey school employee, was wrongly accused. Her inbox filled with hate. “I am NOT Phillies Karen!” she pleaded in a public statement. Hammonton Public Schools backed her up, confirming she’d never worked there.

Then Cheryl Richardson-Wagner’s name surfaced. “OK everyone… I’m NOT the crazy Philly Mom,” she joked on Facebook, adding she was a Red Sox fan and had never even been to that game. The online mob moved on, but the damage lingered.

Meanwhile, the real “Phillies Karen” was identified. Her workplace was flooded with complaints, emails, and angry calls. “She doesn’t deserve to work with kids,” one message read. “How could someone be so heartless?” asked another. The pressure was too much. By Monday morning, she’d been fired.

Her former employer released a brief statement: “We do not condone this kind of behavior and have taken appropriate action.” The internet cheered. “Serves her right!” wrote @PhillyFanatic. “Actions have consequences,” posted @JusticeForLincoln.

But even as the woman vanished from public view, the story didn’t end. Phillies staff rushed to comfort Lincoln, offering him team merchandise. Marlins staff joined in, trying to salvage the boy’s birthday. Then, in a heartwarming twist, Harrison Bader himself met Lincoln the next day, handing over a signed bat and a photo—restoring a little bit of the magic that had been stolen.

“Lincoln was so happy,” Drew recalled, voice cracking. “That’s the memory I want him to have.”

Online, the debate raged. Was the punishment too harsh? Did the internet go too far? “She made a mistake, but losing her job is brutal,” one commenter wrote. “No sympathy for bullies,” replied another.

For the woman at the center of it all, the consequences were swift and public. Her name will fade, but the cautionary tale remains—a viral moment that cost her everything, and reminded Philly fans everywhere: in this city, every play matters, and every action has a price.

As Lincoln clutched his signed bat and smiled for the cameras, the crowd cheered—not for the scandal, but for the resilience of a child who just wanted a birthday to remember.