Kayla Harper, Bryce's Wife, Reveals Some Nationals Fans Wished Their Son Was Born With Autism
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- A day after Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper called out Washington Nationals fans for crossing the line with their heckling, his wife, Kayla Harper, revealed that those fans were targeting their newborn son Krew. She even said that some Nationals fans told her they wished her son was born with autism.
"I truly doubt you are aware of the [direct messages] I have gotten from Nats fans all season. Wishing my son has autism when he's born for example. So yes all season," she tweeted on Thursday.
Bryce Harper said fans were crossing the line in the eighth inning of the Phillies' 5-2 loss on Thursday night.
"They were fine all game, talking about myself and things like that," Harper said. "I get it everywhere I go. That's nothing new. But the last two innings, it's just not right. It's not right."
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Kayla Harper said on Twitter that those fans were going after their family, specifically their newborn son.
"When you bring his son or family into it, yes you're crossing a line. Stick to your overused overrated and Harper sucks chants if you're really that loser that goes to a game to heckle someone. Phillies fans might boo him but they don't bring his 4 week old son into it. Classless," she tweeted.
Bryce Harper said he was eager to get back to Philadelphia and the great fans there.
"I've got 60,000 fans up in Philly that appreciate me as a player, appreciate me as an individual and my family, as well," Harper said. "I owe a lot to those people up there in Philly because they show up for me every single night and they're there to cheer us on and boo us and keep us going as a team and as individuals as well.
Harper left Washington after playing 927 games over seven years, participating in six All-Star Games and winning the 2015 NL MVP Award. He's been a target of boos since signing a $330 million, 13-year contract with the rival Phillies.
In the teams' first matchup in April, the boos by Nationals fans started when Harper's name was announced in the lineup, and derisive shouting followed during a video montage of his biggest moments with the Nationals. Harper was then booed at every at-bat, and when he took his position in right field, several fans were wearing white shirts that spelled out T-R-A-I-T-O-R.
He got a bit of retribution with a 458-foot homer that he punctuated with a bat flip.
Harper acknowledged he heard the boos in April, saying: "For me, that's part of sports, part of the game."
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)