MLB Umpire Assaulted in Philadelphia

During a recent trip to Philadelphia, Major League Baseball umpires reportedly felt more disconnected from the game than ever.

Brock Barrow, while in the city for the Phillies-Diamondbacks series, was reportedly robbed and attacked on April 9, as noted by local news sources.

Barrow was among two individuals who were allegedly targeted by the same attacker, believed to be teenagers, according to Philadelphia police.

While walking in the 1600 block of Walnut Street, Barrow encountered a suspect dressed in a black hat, black pants, and a light blue hoodie. The suspect allegedly stole Barrow’s cellphone and attempted to flee.

Captain Jason Smit shared that Barrow tried to pursue the individual. Unfortunately, this led to a “physical altercation,” during which Barrow was punched multiple times in an effort to recover his phone.

“They ended up falling to the ground, and the victim hit his head and sustained injuries,” Smit remarked. “The assailant continued to strike him aggressively.”

Ultimately, the suspect did not succeed in stealing Barrow’s cellphone. A passing pedestrian returned the phone to him shortly after the incident.

Fortunately, Barrow’s injuries were minor, allowing him to serve as first base umpire the following evening and later call balls and strikes.

Since 2022, Barrow has been a part of the MLB umpiring crew.

In a separate incident on the same day, another person was reportedly assaulted by the same individual at a nearby 7-Eleven.

This isn’t the first unique situation Barrow has faced. Back in 2016, an article highlighted an incident where he was driving to officiate a Carolina League game when he witnessed an RV lose control on Interstate 95.

In that case, two individuals jumped out to assist the occupants of the car.

As of now, MLB has not issued a public statement following the incident that occurred earlier this week.