Brock Ballou, an umpire in Major League Baseball since 2022, was violently robbed and assaulted in Center City Philadelphia while officiating a series earlier this month.
The troubling event took place during a series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 9. Police reported that Ballou was among two victims in separate but connected incidents occurring within about 30 minutes that evening, as covered by CBS 3 Philadelphia.
The first incident unfolded shortly after 6:30 p.m. at a local 7-Eleven store on Chestnut Street. According to police details, the assailant entered the store, took several items, and physically assaulted an employee who confronted him.
About 30 minutes later, around 7 p.m., the same perpetrator attacked Ballou on Walnut Street. While checking directions on his cellphone, the suspect approached him from behind and snatched the phone away. Ballou, determined to recover his belongings, chased after the thief, resulting in a physical confrontation at 16th and Walnut.
Captain Jason Smith from the Philadelphia Police Department reported, “The suspect approached the male and snatched his cellphone out of his hands. The victim went chasing after the male, at which time they got involved in a physical altercation at 16th and Walnut.”
They ended up on the ground during the scuffle, causing Ballou to strike his head and sustain injuries. The suspect continued to assault him, delivering several punches to the head.
Umpire Brock Ballou was robbed and assaulted in Philadelphia last Thursday, per @JoeHoldenCBS3
Ballou’s phone was ripped from his hands so he chased down an alleged teenager. Ballou’s head was injured from punches, but he got his phone back and umpired the next night pic.twitter.com/f4JNRhbU6A
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 15, 2026
Surveillance footage, reviewed by investigators, showed the assailant landing multiple punches to Ballou’s head. Although the umpire suffered a head injury from the fall, police characterized his injuries as relatively minor.
The attacker ultimately fled without taking the phone, and a bystander came to assist Ballou. Police described the suspect as appearing to be in his teens and released surveillance images for public help. As of now, the suspect remains unidentified and at-large.
Remarkably, despite this incident, Ballou continued to fulfill his duties for the Phillies-Diamondbacks series without missing any games. He was back umpiring at first base the following night and took on the home plate position just two days later.
