A Major League Baseball umpire did not feel any brotherly love while in the city of Philadelphia last week, and it had nothing to do with baseball.
Brock Ballou was allegedly robbed and assaulted on April 9 while in town to work the Phillies series against the Diamondbacks, according to CBS News Philadelphia.
Ballou was one of two people who were allegedly attacked by the same assailant, who Philadelphia police believe is in his teens.
The MLB umpire was allegedly approached by the suspect — seen in surveillance video wearing a black hat, black pants and a light blue hoodie — while walking on the 1600 block of Walnut Street in Philly, when the individual stole his phone and took off.
Ballou attempted to give chase and ended up getting into a “physical altercation,” Capt. Jason Smit told CBS News Philadelphia, and when Ballou tried to take back his phone, he was punched in the head several times.
“They ended up on the ground, at which time the victim struck his head, causing injury,” Smith said. “The male continued his assault, violently punching him.”
The suspect ended up not making off with the MLB umpire’s phone. Ballou was able to get it back when a passerby returned it to him.
The injuries sustained by Ballou were not serious, and he umpired first base the next night and called balls and strikes behind the plate the day after.
Ballou has been an umpire in MLB since 2022.
MLB has not publicly commented on the matter that occurred earlier this week.
Another person had also been allegedly assaulted by the same person on the same day at a 7-Eleven 20 minutes earlier.
The alleged assault was not the first peculiar situation that Ballou has found himself in.
In a story published by MiLB.com in 2016, Ballou was traveling to call a game in the Carolina League and was on I-95 with fellow umpire Cody Clark when an RV in front of them lost control.
The two men jumped out to assist the vehicle’s occupants.
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