New York, Citi Field – A moment that was not on the scoreboard but touched the hearts of thousands. As the Mets fans were shouting abuse at Anthony Volpe – a young shortstop who was struggling with form – his father, Michael Volpe, stood up in the stands, shouting in a rage filled with love:
“Bad mouthing my son? F**k you, you scumbag!”
That sentence, along with his red eyes filled with anger and helplessness, was recorded in a video that went viral on social media. And in just a few hours, Michael became the representative of the pain, suffering and love of a father who could not stand by and watch his son being insulted.
Anthony Volpe – 24 years old, once a symbol of hope for the Yankees – is going through the most difficult season of his career. With a .219 batting average, 10 home runs and 48 RBIs, along with 11 defensive errors, he was heavily criticized by the media and fans, especially after a lackluster performance in the Subway Series against the Mets.
Still, Volpe has been one of the Yankees’ most consistent starters and is trying to carry the team through a tumultuous season.
The sight of Volpe’s father standing up in a sea of strangers, loudly defending his son, silenced the stadium. Not because he was wrong, but because he did what any father would do – stand by his son, despite all the criticism.
His wife, Isabelle, was seen trying to pull her husband back to avoid any further escalation. But when the national anthem “God Bless America” played, the atmosphere suddenly changed. From conflict, the ballpark became a place where people celebrated family love and empathy.
– “He’s a real dad. I support him 100%.”
– “Cheering is one thing, personal insults are another.”
– “Thank you, Mr. Volpe, for reminding us that athletes are human beings – and that they have families who care and love them.”
In football, we have saves. In baseball, we have home runs. For Anthony Volpe, the most important hit that day didn’t come from him – it came from his father, standing on the sidelines, willing to do whatever it took to let his son know:
“You’re not alone. I’m here.”