Earlier this season a field jumping Phillies fan got tased making national headlines. On Monday night all it took to stop a field jumper was Braves outfielder Matt Diaz.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with the Phils leading 3-1 in the critical NL East battle, Sean Hagan, dressed in a red full bodysuit reminiscent of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Green Man bolted onto the Citizens Bank Park field. Fans were speculating that he drank too much "riot punch" but it looks like this was a premeditated act.
The spandex-wearing teen evaded security guards, even causing one to fall flat on his face as he juked and jived around the field. As the red-clad fan turned to see where guards were, Braves left fielder Diaz stepped up and tripped the guy. Hagan was then tackled by security and escorted off the field.
“I saw this idiot coming right at me,” Diaz said. “I figured he'd be better off getting tripped than tased.”
Hagan's sister told NBC Philadelphia's Deanna Durante on Tuesday that Hagan planned the jump and asked her to pick him up if he got arrested. Cameras caught Hagan -- still rocking the full bodysuit -- leaving court and getting into his parents' car Tuesday afternoon.
"We have some idiots that are just overzealous fans. They'll be arrested and prosecuted for their idiocy," said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams. "If you're gonna wear red tights, wear them in other places... he'll be charged most likely with criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and offenses such as that."
His parents felt he owed plenty of people an apology.
“My son just learned a hard lesson,” said Gary Hagan. “He risked himself, the players, Philadelphia.”
Blogs The Fightins and Crossing Broad were quick to post video of the brief incident. This angle was posted by YouTube user Th3F1a5h:
Another field jumper detained -- no taser needed.
Diaz's efforts even earned him a round of applause from the sold-out CBP crowd.
In quite a twist, it turns out Diaz is Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's neighbor in the off-season.
“He'll be telling me about that all winter,” he said.
Luckily this time unlike earlier in the season when a fan jumped on the field late in a Cole Hamels gem, the Phillies lefty was unfazed. Hamels put down the Braves in order in the top of the eighth and the Phillies held on to win.
And just in case you haven't had enough of the Spiderman wannabe here is a fan's perspective care of Michelle Filling:
