Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has unveiled a limited-edition bobblehead of Matt Hilton, a Phoenix-area pest control specialist.
Mr. Hilton created a buzz and achieved hero status for successfully removing a colony of bees that delayed the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game on April 30 at Chase Field.
The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with Matt Hilton. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in November, cost $30 each, plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.
Minutes before the start of the Diamondbacks-Dodgers game on Tuesday, April 30, at Chase Field, a bee swarm quickly formed atop the protective netting behind home plate. That caused a delay of nearly two hours as players and fans waited for someone to remove the colony and save the day.
Once he arrived at Chase Field, Mr. Hilton hyped up the crowd as he was driven in a golf cart to meet the bees. The crowd chanted “MVP!” and the Bonnie Tyler song “Holding Out for a Hero” blared through the speakers.
Ascending on a hydraulic scissor lift after putting on his protective suit, Mr. Hilton quickly got to work, spraying and vacuuming the bees into sealed containers. He got a standing ovation as he descended as he pumped his fist into the air to encourage even louder cheers from the appreciative crowd. When Mr. Hilton came to the ground, Diamondbacks officials asked him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and he obliged while still wearing his protective suit.
“I didn’t think much could top having my own trading card of that crazy night at Chase Field,” Mr. Hilton said. “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!”
National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar points out Mr. Hilton became an instant baseball celebrity.
“We’re excited to create this bobblehead of ‘The Bee Guy’ Matt Hilton who became the most famous guy in baseball for a while,” he said. “While Matt didn’t show up in the box score from the Diamondbacks-Dodgers game on April 30 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!”