Dodgers Fan Creates Unforgettable Moment for Mets Fan in Now Viral Video: Exclusive
Some things in life are meant to happen.
Los Angeles Dodgers fan Luis Renteria from Eastvale, CA, believes that more than ever after a video of him went viral on Monday after the Dodgers lost Game 2 of the National League Championship Series 7-3 to the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.
Renteria had tickets for Game 2 “somewhere near the left field foul pole” until his mother’s friend’s boss suddenly had tickets behind the Mets’ dugout become available. In a phone call with Dodgers Nation early Tuesday morning, Renteria said he didn’t hesitate to purchase the upgrade.
When he arrived at his seat, he quickly realized he was a section over from the celebrities, setting him up for a moment he would never forget.
“As we were sitting there, my sister was talking to this Mets old-timer fan,” Renteria said. “I was watching batting practice. It was just surreal, the view of it and just capturing every second of it.
“We looked over and saw Jimmy Kimmel and saw him talking to someone sitting where we were sitting at and realized it was David Wright.”
Fortunately, a ball bounced directly to Renteria during batting practice.
Once people realized it was the Mets legendary third baseman sitting nearby, fans started lining up to take photos with him but Renteria bided his time.
“No one was asking him to sign a ball and I remembered that I didn’t have a pen so I went to the concession stand and asked for a pen.”
With a borrowed pen in hand from Maria at the concession stand, Renteria approached Wright and asked him to sign his ball.
“He signed it super nice and he was such a humble guy. I shook his hand and thanked him and told him how I remembered the Mets beating us in the playoffs. … As the game ended we were taking photos with the field behind us and as I started to walk back up to the top to leave the stadium, my mom was talking to this gentleman and his two sons who were Mets fans.”
As the two chatted about Wright being at the game, Renteria had a gut feeling that this Mets fan was more impressed with Wright being at the game than him.
Renteria offered the ball to him saying, “This probably means more to you than it does to me. This is probably like gold to you.”
The entire moment was caught on video by his sister, Krystal, who told Dodgers Nation in a text that her brother has “such a big heart and is the sweetest.” She also said that sitting next to Mets fans all game is probably what made it feel “just right.”
“He felt something special,” she added.
It’s unbelievable how many things had to happen to create this special moment between strangers from being offered tickets to catching a ball and sitting next to Mets fans all game.
It also shined a positive light on Dodgers fans after they caught so much flack for the series against the Padres.
“Everything that happened,” Renteria said. “It was a priceless moment.”
I’m the Mets fan’s wife, and the mother of those two young boys. Let me tell you, this story will be passed down in our family lore for generations. That Dodgers fan absolutely made their day. It was a huge deal for my husband to take our two boys to LA for the game. He actually sold personal items to buy the airfare and game tickets. Coming home with that baseball, made the entire trip for them.
Lindsay,
Thank you so much for commenting on the story! I’m so glad you husband and two boys were in the right place at the right time. It was such a joy telling this story for all the fans to read. Baseball truly is a beautiful sport!
– Maren Angus-Coombs
Props to a True Blue Dodger Fan – Luis Renteria. Well done!