Baseball Fan Ian McMilllan, 12, Now Star After Giving Ball to Smaller Boy

Many baseball fans wish they could catch one of the balls that makes its way into the stands during a game. Ian McMillan, 12, was one of those fans. But when he noticed a smaller boy crying because he wanted to catch the ball Ian caught, Ian handed the ball over to the boy - and his act of kindness was caught on camera.


As a player ran off the field, he tossed a ball towards some kids. Ian grabbed it, but as he ran back to his dad, the usher pointed out a smaller boy who had also been trying to catch the ball, and who was now crying. Ian turned around, ran back down to the boy, and gave him the ball.


Meanwhile, the incident had been caught on TV, and the commentators were talking about it up in the booth. Diamondbacks announcer Mark Grace said, "That is big time right there. What a nice young man. We gotta do something for that kid in the red."


They then called Ian up to the announcers' booth, and gave him a signed baseball bat and an official Diamondbacks contract. D'backs manager Kirk Gibson also gave him his own Diamondbacks jersey, and invited him to throw out the first pitch at the next game against the Colorado Rockies.


When asked what was going through his mind, Ian said, "I just felt really bad for the kid because I think [the ball] might have been intended for him, but I just didn't see him. So I just thought it was the right thing to do to give it back." He later said, "[Baseball fans] should do what I did" in similar situations. "It's cool and the right thing to do."