BOSTON — NHL player Garnet Hathaway had just settled into his seat in a luxury box behind home plate, getting ready to enjoy a Sunday night game at Fenway Park between the Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, when a foul ball off the bat of Boston’s Justin Turner came sailing back at him in the first inning.
So, what did the 31-year-old forward do? He stood up, reached with both hands and made the clean grab.
Hathaway played for the Boston Bruins this season after being acquired from the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline. He is currently a free agent.
“You never think it’s going to happen and then it happens,” he said, smiling. “I’ve been here for a few hours already. It’s my son’s birthday. We got to bring him around the stadium. It was amazing.”
Hathaway said he had warning about foul balls just as the game started.
“One of the concession guys said: ‘Heads up. If it’s a righty batter, they come quick, they come often. Pay attention,”’ Hathaway said. “I had just sat down, and my wife took the kids home. The next thing you know, it’s already happening. It was nice to get a heads-up.”
Has he caught one before?
“I have, actually, years back at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox-Yankees,” Hathaway said. “That was probably only about five, six years ago.”
What does he plan to do with this ball?
“It’s going to my son. He’s turning 2 today,” Hathaway said of his son, Luke.
And will he want it signed by Turner?
“I would love that,” he said. “Hopefully, I have a few connections somewhere. That would be really special.”
The Bruins set an NHL record for points (135) and victories (65) this season, but they were upset in seven games by the Florida Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs.