One fan in the stands of the Boston Red Sox game Thursday had more on his mind than just the love of the game.
Apparently, the 12-year-old boy was also thinking about the little girl sitting behind him at Fenway Park.
When an official handed Ryan a foul ball, he immediately turned around and handed it to a young girl behind him. Her mother's jaw dropped and she thanked Ryan for the unexpected act of kindness.
She wasn't the only one impressed by his decision.
Power move: http://t.co/QTjNm8zYXn#Studpic.twitter.com/mPLgNhLVl5
— MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2014
Ryan sat back down with a big smile on his face and his mother patted him on the head.
"His mother raised him right," Major League Baseball officials tweeted.
The whole exchange was broadcast live, leading commentator Jerry Remy to say, "I think that’s one of the nicest things I’ve seen at the ballpark all year."
A little later in the game, reporter Gary Striewski interviewed Ryan on camera.
Striewski asked Ryan if he knew how many people watching the game on TV had seen him give the ball to the girl, named Reece.
"Ten thousand?" Ryan asks.
"A little bit more than that, man," Striewksi said. "Either way, that was one heck of a gesture."
Striewski presented Ryan with two baseballs - one from each announcer - Remy and Don Orsillo.
"That's called 'paying it forward,'" Striewski told Ryan.
"I saw people do it before," Ryan said. "I thought it was a nice thing and it's good to make people happy."
The Red Sox also gave Ryan a bag of treats, including a bracelet. Ryan gave that to his new friend as well.
