Yankees Invite 10-Year-Old Girl Who Beaned Politician With Water Balloon to Game

A rising fifth grader who went viral for expertly lobbing a water balloon at a local official at a Fourth of July parade was invited to a baseball game this week by the New York Yankees, who praised her “impressive” arm. Alexa Cardona, 10, and her family were hosted at the Yankees’ Tuesday game against the Tampa Bay Rays—as was her target, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Chucking water balloons is a tradition at the annual Stewart Manor parade on Long Island, according to the New York Post, and after Cardona struck Blakeman in the head from roughly 100 feet away, the politician took it in stride. He posted a viral clip of the throw to Twitter, tweeting, “The @Mets and @Yankees could certainly use her!” At batting practice on Tuesday, Cardona was congratulated by several Yankees, including hitting coach Sean Casey. “We could use you. That’s so good,” Casey said, when Blakeman suggested the team “sign her up.”