PHOENIX — Matt Hilton created a huge buzz around the sports world when he showed up at Chase Field on April 30 to remove a swarm of bees that had gathered on the netting behind home plate.
He ended a nearly two-hour-long delay, got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and became the center of a viral moment that is now being memorialized with a bobblehead from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame!
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: El famoso 'Bee Guy' que se convirtió en el favorito de la gente será inmortalizado en un muñeco Bobblehead
"We’re excited to create this bobblehead of ‘The Bee Guy’ Matt Hilton who became the most famous guy in baseball for a while," National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said in a press release. "While Matt didn’t show up in the box score from the Diamondbacks-Dodgers game on April 30th at Chase Field, he certainly got the save – and created quite a buzz in the process. This bobblehead is sure to be a must-have for fans!"
On April 30, the D-backs were set to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers when the colony of bees was discovered behind home plate.
The D-backs then called Blue Sky Pest Control for help.
Matt Hilton, who is the branch manager of Blue Sky's Phoenix office, was at his 6-year-old son's t-ball game nearly 45 minutes away from Chase Field. However, when the call came in, he reluctantly left his son's game and came to save the day at Chase Field.
More than 70 minutes after fans were asked by the public address announcer at Chase Field to "bee patient," Hilton arrived, and began pumping up the crowd as he was driven in from right field.
Hilton then donned a protective suit and rose up toward the swarm and removed the bees as Bonnie Tyler's hit song, "Holding out for a Hero" played in the background.
After completing the job, Hilton was lowered back to the ground and pumped his fist as the crowd cheered again, now 90 minutes after the game was scheduled to begin.
Players were then given 30 minutes to warm back up, extending the delay to a total of two hours.
Before the game began, the D-backs gave Hilton a big thank you by letting him throw out the first pitch. He took the mound while still wearing his beekeeping outfit, tossed back the hat and threw a strike.
The moment quickly went viral. Hilton even partnered with Topps to create his own trading card and more than 16,000 were sold in just 24 hours.
The Diamondbacks also created a special buy-one-get-one "free-bee" ticket offer for their next series against the San Diego Padres in honor of Hilton coming to save the game.
Now, Hilton is partnering with the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame for his brand-new bobblehead.
"I didn’t think much could top having my own trading card of that crazy night at Chase Field," Hilton said in the press release. "When I heard about the bobblehead being made of my moment on the pitcher’s mound, I was stoked! How could I pass up an opportunity to have that once in a lifetime moment molded into a bobblehead? This will be a family treasure!"
It features Hilton with his hands in the air, as he was right before throwing the ceremonial first pitch. Hilton is standing on a circular "turf-like base," which says, "Matt Hilton — The Bee Guy" across the front and will feature a small bee, which will also have a bobbling head.
If you want to get one of the limited edition and individually-numbered bobbleheads, you will have to purchase it through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame's online store, which you can access by clicking here. The bobbleheads are expected to ship in November and will cost $30, plus an $8 shipping fee.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum opened in 2019 and is located in Madison, Wisconsin.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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