Diamondbacks Beekeeper Hero Got His Own Official Topps Trading Card

Diamondbacks Beekeeper Hero Got His Own Official Topps Trading Card

A swarm of bees at Chase Field delayed the Tuesday night tilt between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks for nearly two hours before the prayers of fans were answered by none other than Matt Hilton, a local beekeeper.

Hilton arrived on the scene and was successful in his removal of the swarm, which resulted in him getting the awesome opportunity to throw out the game's ceremonial first pitch.

That's not the only way Hilton was honored, however.

On Wednesday, the trading card company Topps unveiled an epic new baseball card, a 2024 Matt Hilton Topps Now Card, No. 145. Topps put the card on sale for 24 hours, pricing it at a reasonable $8.99 as a memento for fans who wanted to celebrate the viral beekeeper's heroics.

The card features a photo from Hilton after he transported the bees off the field on Tuesday, with his arms raised in the air while still wearing his beekeeping gear.

"Bee afraid, bee very afraid: Bees swarm in Arizona" is written on the bottom of the card.

In addition to the regular print of the Hilton card, Topps has also released special autographed editions, including a gold version of which only one was printed.

Fans at the stadium were greatly appreciative of Hilton's services on Tuesday night, and now the once in a lifetime experience has been immortalized by the trading card company in unique fashion.

Beekeeper Plays Hero in Dodgers-Diamondbacks After Lengthy Bee Delay

Beekeeper Plays Hero in Dodgers-Diamondbacks After Lengthy Bee Delay

Chase Field needed a hero Tuesday night.

An NL West clash between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers was put on hold just before 7 p.m. PT due to a bee colony forming on the protective netting behind home plate.

After a lengthy delay, Diamondbacks team officials called a local professional beekeeper to properly take care of the colony. Once the beekeeper arrived, they were elevated on a lift to meet the colony, which was located at the very top of the back screen.

The beekeeper used what appeared to be a vacuum to safely transport the bees to their next location—likely far away from Chase Field.

Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero" song blared at the ballpark as the beekeeper worked.

Mission successful. The bees were handled with care, and the game between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers began at 8:35 p.m. PT after nearly a two-hour delay.

You really never know what you're going to see at the ballpark every night.