Beekeeper Matt Hilton enjoys the extraordinary feeling following his athletic achievements in MLB, landing a trading card agreement.
On Tuesday, Hilton turned into a champion when he was tasked with getting rid of a swarm of bees that were slowing down the match between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Around five minutes before the game was set to begin, the swarm decided to live in the netting behind home plate at Arizona's Chase Field, but Hilton gallantly stepped in and saved the day, bringing relief to the eager audience inside.
"It was insane. I knew it was going to be a unique experience. I was going to Chase Field, where the Diamondbacks were playing against the Dodgers," Hilton shared with CNN Sports' Don Riddell. "So, I knew it was going to be a cool experience, but it wasn't until I got onto the field in the buggy and the fans were going crazy that it hit me just how big of a deal this was. It turned into an amazing experience for me."
As Hilton sauntered out onto the field to the screams of "MVP" and the tune of Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero," he sprayed and eliminated the bees using a vacuum. The bees were supposed to be released later, as per the league's rules.
As a token of appreciation, Hilton was given the opportunity to throw the first pitch.
Even though he wasn't satisfied with his performance on the mound, the bee extractor certainly took advantage of the attention and entertained the masses.
"It's been incredibly overwhelming," Hilton shared. "I didn't expect any of this madness. I just thought I'd go do my job and go home, but when I dealt with the bees, it spiraled completely out of control. When I got out on the field, I saw how loud the crowd was when I did a couple of fist bumps, so I decided to have some fun with it."
Hilton, from Blue Sky Pest Control, was notified while he was at his son's tee-ball game, and his six-year-old was a bit upset that his father had to leave. However, he was consoled after getting to see his dad throw out the first pitch and participating in an interview.
"I think he's forgiven me for leaving," Hilton said.
With his nerves under control, Hilton successfully removed the bees, allowing the game to proceed into extra innings. The Diamondbacks eventually triumphed over the Dodgers in the tenth inning, with a score of 4-3.
Special trading card
The spotlight, however, remains on Hilton after his actions were acknowledged with his very own Topps trading card.
"We've signed a deal with Matt Hilton (the Bee Specialist from last night's game) and are producing autograph cards from his outstanding performance," Topps tweeted.
The Arizona Diamondbacks also chimed in, saying, "This might just be the pinnacle of society as we know it."
The team is also displaying a special ticket offer for this weekend's games against the San Diego Padres, boasting "Free Bee" tickets in honor of Hilton's heroics.
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Hilton's extraordinary day at the ballpark was commemorated with a special Topps trading card. The Arizona Diamondbacks also offered "Free Bee" tickets as a tribute to Hilton's heroics during the game.
Source: edition.cnn.com
