The last thing Kathy McVay of Plymouth Meeting was expecting at the Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals game at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night was a hot dog headed straight for her face.
"It came out of nowhere. And hard," she told ABC News.
The Phillies mascot "Phanatic" rode across the field on a tractor with an air cannon that shot out hot dogs towards the stands reminiscent of the way Oprah doled out prizes for her studio audiences – "You get a hot dog, and you get a hot dog!"
McVey was sitting right behind the home plate when the lethal frankfurter hurtled through the air and hit her square in her right eye before she could deflect it.
Because the hot dog was wrapped in duct tape to keep it intact while airborne, it also increased in weight to pack quite a punch.
The mere sight of the mascot blasting the stands with weiners was as ridiculous as it sounds, but unfortunately, McVay wasn't laughing after getting hit. She was left with a serious shiner that required icing every 20 minutes afterward.
And then, the next thing I know he shot it in our direction, and bam! It hit me like a ton of bricks. My glasses flew.
She was immediately taken to the hospital for a CAT scan to make sure she didn't suffer from a concussion. The Phillies fan described the extent of her injury.
I have a small hematoma in my eye. And mostly, it's going to get worse before it gets better. It's going to go down the side of my face.
Those hot dogs pack a serious punch. (ABC 10 New/YouTube)
McVey isn't planning to take legal action and is being a good sport about the incident. She offered this advice for fellow spectators in the stands.
Just to be aware, because you never know. I understand a baseball, but not a hot dog.
It gives people a good laugh, and if that makes somebody chuckle, then that's fine.
Watching a live ball game from the stands is like subjecting yourself to open season, where everyone is a potential target for rogue balls or hot dogs.
There was some empathy for her suffering.
@chefbenqc/Threads
@the_tre_haus; beckysolwold/Threads
Ron Jarvis/Facebook
@kasialove/Bluesky
Barbara Boetsch/Facebook
@maupt68/Threads
@leftofliberal2025/Threads
@pattistraus/Threads
@sugarpillseattle/Threads
@BlueJock/X
@SentientHaze133/X
@DivinyPete/X
@SeanCasten/X
@IAmJoeTrudeau/X
@sensiblemiddle/X