During a cricket match, a fan moment briefly derailed the game. After the ball was hit into the crowd, as usual, fans were expected to throw it back so play could resume. One young woman caught it, but a guy nearby quickly snatched it from her, pulled out a Sharpie, and signed his name on the ball. He handed it back with a smug “I’ve blessed you with that ball,” clearly treating the moment like a personal autograph opportunity.
The umpires weren’t impressed. Once a fan signs the ball, it’s no longer game-legal. So the officials were forced to pull out their case of backup balls, searching for one with similar wear, since cricket rules require consistency in ball condition. Everyone had a laugh at this guy’s confidence, especially because no one seemed to know who he was. The signed ball was tossed aside, and one umpire asked a fan if they even wanted it. They didn’t. Meanwhile, the fan who signed it was still grinning and waving like he’d just done something important. No one in the stadium agreed.