At Game 5 of the World Series, Stephen Perretta wanted a piece of the action as he sat near the dugout.
He got one and it came out of left field.
During Derek Jeter's seventh inning at bat, the New York shortstop's baseball bat shattered with pieces flying into the stands.
The national television audience saw it happen, but Stephen and his family saw a whole lot more as the bat hit the young man.
"I was following the ball, and I didn't see the bat coming, and then I just felt pain. And then I just fell down," Stephen said.
When he got up, albeit a bit fazed but unhurt, Stephen was left with more a stomachache.
He got the bat, what was left of it, plus a World Series jacket, and a ball signed by the enemy shortstop himself. And though far from his favorite player, Stephen plans to guard it all closely.
"You can see it, but you just can't touch it," Stephen said.
All of this has made for quite a story back at Stephen's school, Aronomink Elementary, where we're told he's ordinarily kind of a shy kid. These days, not so much.
Stephen is now a reluctant celebrity.
Stephen's parents, meanwhile, are just glad it ended up the way it did.
Phillies fans themselves, they hold no ill will toward the Yankee captain, for what his broken bat could have done.
Stephen and his friends, they may hold a little grudge.
"Go Phillies!" Stephen and his friends said.
Stephen's mother is still shaken up and told Action News that Jeter himself was visibly shaken up as he awaited word of what happened to the young man hit by his bat.
2009 WORLD SERIES
- Photos from Game 4
- Photos from Game 3
- Photos from Game 2
- Photos from Game 1
- WORLD SERIES POLL - Who will win the 2009 World Series?
- INTERACTIVE: See how the Phillies and Yankees stack up, player by player
- Stub Hub World Series Ticket Prices
- Ticket Liquidator World Series Ticket Prices
- Philadelphia Phillies ticket information site
- Citizens Bank Park parking and driving directions
PHILLIES FANS CENTRAL
- Send in your own Phillies photos and videos!
- Check out other Phillies fans honoring their team!
- Have plans for watching the Phillies? Tell us!
- Relive the Road to the 2008 World Series Championship
2009 NATIONAL LEAGUE SERIES
- 2009 NLCS Photos
- Fans celebrate 2009 NLCS victory
- 2009 NLDS Photos
- VIDEOS: Phillies react 2009 NLE Championship
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