PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: The Philadelphia Phillies logo is seen on their on deck circle during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on April 27, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cubs won 5-1. (Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images)
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Last week, the Philadelphia Phillies narrowly lost their series opener to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Phillies logged seven hits as a team and starter Jesus Luzardo gave up five earned runs with eight strikeouts in four-and-two-thirds innings. As always, some batters or fans might have felt cause to argue with the officiating, but home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott earned a 96% accuracy rating for the game, per Ump Scorecards. There were two automated ball-strike challenges but no calls were overturned.
And that performance seems even more impressive now that news has surfaced that Wolcott’s colleague in that game, first base umpire Brock Ballou, was at the center of a suspected assault in downtown Philadelphia the day before.
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“The suspect approached the male and snatched his cellphone out of his hands," Philadelphia Police Captain Jason Smith told CBS News Philadelphia, with police identifying “the male” as Ballou and adding that he was checking his phone for directions while near the city’s Rittenhouse Square park. “The victim went chasing after the male, at which time they got involved in a physical altercation at 16th and Walnut.”
Investigators added that Ballou attempted to take his phone back immediately and that the suspect punched him several times in the head.
"They ended up on the ground, at which time the victim struck his head, causing injury," Smith added, per CBS News Philadelphia. “The male continued his assault, violently punching him.”
The suspect then allegedly ran away without Ballou’s phone, which was subsequently returned to the umpire.
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The Philadelphia police added that about 30 minutes before that altercation, the suspect had allegedly stolen items from a nearby convenience store and, when confronted by an employee, punched him several times before fleeing.
Despite reportedly taking some violent blows to the head and wrestling the alleged thief to the ground, Ballou was able to umpire the Phillies’ game the next night. He then served as the home plate umpire in the series as well.
“Ballou’s injuries were not serious, police said,” per CBS News Philadelphia.
Surprisingly, though, Ballou has been at the center of another off-field incident that made headlines 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,” Christian Arnold reported for the New York Post. “The two men jumped out to assist the vehicle’s occupants”
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