South Jersey man makes trade with Phillies' Rhys Hoskins after 'once in a lifetime chance'

Phillies fan Kevin Hartwell will be at Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies' World Series homestand just as he was Sunday when the team booked a ticket for the Fall Classic.

And, with luck, Hartwell will snatch another home run ball like he did when Rhys Hoskins put one over the wall in the bottom of the third inning of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.

Hartwell, a heavy equipment operator from Mullica Township, came up with the two-run homer ball after it took several bounces in the left field stands where he was sitting with his family.

But, instead of keeping it as a trophy, Hartwell on Tuesday returned to the stadium to give Hoskins the ball.

“I knew if I had hit that home run I would want the ball back, so I was pretty certain he would want it,” Hartwell, 42, surmised in an interview from home Wednesday after first explaining how he jumped around for the bouncing ball and finally snatched it.

And Hartwell was right. Hoskins did want the memento.

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In return, Hoskins offered the Hartwell family an autographed Phillies bat and two baseballs and posed for a photo with Hartwell, girlfriend Shannon Myers, daughter Lia Hartwell, 10, and son Kevin, 9.

“I never so much as caught a foul ball at any game I ever went to,” Hartwell noted. "I think getting that home run ball was a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

He is not a season ticketholder and said had not been to a game in about five years until he went to the last game of the season this year for fan appreciation day as the Phillies headed into the league playoffs. He plans to attend Tuesday's game against the Houston Astros after buying tickets in the same 144 stadium section from an emailed ticket invitation sent by the Phillies like he had done for Sunday's game.

For daughter Lia, meeting Hoskins and getting the autographed baseball memorabilia was even more amazing than the Phillies game when her father snared the home run ball.

“It was the most exciting day of my life!” she exclaimed.

Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, especially history and military veterans, for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. If you have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email ccomegno@gannettnj.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Phillies' Rhys Hoskins gets home run ball back from South Jersey man