While George Springer’s three-run home run will forever live in the memories of Toronto Blue Jays fans, throwing back Julio Rodriguez’s third-inning solo shot nearly cost one fan his chance to see it live.
Ned Bowland was sitting in left-centre field when Rodriguez’s homer that put the Mariners up 2-1 headed his way.
“Tracking [the ball] the entire way, I didn’t move an inch, and I catch it bare-handed, left-handed. Kind of like rolls up my forearm into my waist,” Bowland explained to TSN. “Peer pressure is a real thing, like everybody around me just started screaming to throw it back and I kind of blacked out. Everything happened so quickly, and next thing you know, I just obviously tossed it on the field. I couldn’t tell you where it landed and then I sat back down. Everyone is giving me high-fives like I’m a celebrity.
“About five minutes later, a fan comes up and says, ‘Hey man, they’re gonna boot you out,’ and I tell him there’s no way, I’m not leaving. He says, ‘Do you wanna switch seats?’ and I tell him I’m not leaving. So, he leaves and five minutes after that another fan comes up and says he heard security talking about kicking me out and says I should get moving. Once again, I said I’m not going anywhere. Next thing you know, security comes down and says, ‘Hey sir, you’ve gotta come up [to the top of the section] and talk to us.’ I say no, and after a back and forth, I’m told, ‘We can do this the hard way or the easy way.’ So, I go up and then am walked outside by police.”
While throwing back opposing team’s homers is commonplace in some parks, Bowland was told the Rogers Centre has a zero-tolerance policy for tossing any items onto the field.
After being escorted out of the stadium, Bowland headed to a nearby bar to watch the game, where he says received free drinks after fellow fans recognized him from the broadcast. Desperate not to miss witnessing the team’s biggest game in more than 30 years, Bowland purchased another ticket and took his place in 500s, well out of home run range.
In the seventh inning, down 3-1, Springer delivered the signature moment of Toronto’s postseason to date with a three-run homer - also to left centre, just one section over from where Bowland had been sitting.
The Blue Jays held on to their 4-3 lead and advanced to their first World Series since 1993, where the Los Angeles Dodgers await.
Bowland says he has no hard feelings towards the Jays for Monday’s events and is happy to have Game 7 comeback story of his own. While he has no plans to attend to the World Series games, he’s still hoping tickets will somehow fall into his left hand.
