Sean Leonard Shannon Moore - The couple slammed by a Yankees announcer for not giving a foul ball to a crying child next to them are seeking an apology from the announcer.A picture snapped by Sean Leonard's brother paints a different picture of the foul ball incident at Wednesday night's Rangers game."If this picture was the only picture that was shown online and on the Internet, people would say, 'Oh, he's got a ball,'" Leonard said. Ball-snatching couple wants apology,
Instead, a viral video from YES Network spread across social media sites, talk radio and news stations drew all of the attention. The video of the incident with commentary by Yankees announcer Michael Kay shows a small child crying after not getting a ball that was thrown into the stands by Ranger Mitch Moreland.
Leonard and his fiancee, Shannon Moore, said the video is only half the story.
"I never saw the little boy crying," said Moore. "I'm looking at him [Sean], he's taking my picture, and it lasted maybe 10 seconds." Ball-snatching couple wants apology,
After watching the video, the couple admitted they looked bad.
"I wasn't even aware that he was crying until we see the video and then it looked bad," Leonard said. "It was horrific-looking."
But Kay's remarks made her and Leonard look even worse, Moore said.
"He just kept fueling it," Moore said. "In this society with social networking, you know, you put one thing out there, and people attack. And they were. They were vicious, and they didn't stop."
Moore said she wants an apology from Kay.
"I'm not asking for anything much, but I think if he has a good heart and he's a faithful person, he would own up and apologize -- because he did start it," she said.
The mother of the 3-year-old boy told NBC 5 on Thursday that she felt bad the Leonard and Moore were drawing fire over the incident.
Crystal Shore said Leonard and Moore were friendly and had even offered the ball to her son toward the end of the game.
"I felt sorry for Cameron and for the other couple because they were made out to be such horrible, cold-hearted people, and I just ... didn't get that impression from them at all. They were sweet. They talked to Cameron a lot," she said.
Leonard even offered the ball to her son, but his parents turned it down, they told "The Today Show" on Friday.
"He's 3, and we're kind of at that stage where he thinks he gets everything and anything," his mother said.
"I never once thought that they should have given him the ball," Crystal Shore said. "We're trying to teach him he doesn't get everything every time."
For now, Leonard and Moore have other things to worry about. The two are busy with preparations for their May 5 nuptials.
What started as a small wedding with family and close friends has turned into a much larger event. The couple's foul ball moment has spread to the United Kingdom, and Leonard and Moore say family members living there have started calling asking about the wedding.
"So, of course, everyone who didn't know we were getting married now knows," Leonard said.
The couple hopes that the events from Wednesday's game can be turned into something positive.
They've considered hosting a fundraising event for Pro Player Foundation, a group that Leonard already works with, that would teach underprivileged kids from across the Metroplex how to be better in life through sports.
"If we have to take that ball and sell it and raise funds for that foundation that can go towards hundreds of needy kids, then absolutely," Leonard said. "Why not?"
In the meantime, the couple is focusing on their wedding.
"The beautiful thing is we have a strong love between us that is going to carry us," Leonard said. "We have a strong faith in God and the truth."
