Blur background layer without creating "halo" around subject

I have a picture of a baseball player with grandstands and spectators in the background. To focus attention on the subject, I want to blur and slightly darken everything but the player (subject).
So I duplicated the background layer and created a mask over the player. Then I selected the background layer, added lens blur, and darkened it.
The problem is that this step blurs the image of the subject in the background, causing it to extend out beyond the masked image of the subject on the foreground layer, creating a ghostly "halo" effect.
I've tried creating an inverted mask on the background layer, but that doesn't work. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks.
Photoshop PS6, Windows 7

Chris, I may not be following you. Top layer is masked player (if I turn off all other layers, all I see is the player). Bottom layer is blurred layer. Player on top layer is in focus, and bottom layer is blurred, BUT ... the image of the player on the bottom layer is blurred along with the rest of the image on that bottom layer, and blurred edges of the player extend out beyond the mask on the top layer to create the "halo."
Inverse of that mask on top layer => player blurred and everything else sharp. What am I missing?
Maybe I'm using the terminology wrong ... if all other layers are turned off and the only thing remaining is the player, I referred to that as the "mask." Should I refer to the "mask" as being everything else on that layer OTHER than the player?

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Blur background layer without creating "halo" around subject

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