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View Full Version : Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition



sox83cubs84
01-27-2010, 05:40 PM
As promised, here's the thread..I'll start with one from the last game of the season several years ago at Wrigley Field.

My buddy Joe and I were among a dozen or so fans hanging behind the Pirates dugout as the Bucs left the field after their last game. Several players were tossing caps and other things into the stands, and I was, for the most part, shut out (Joe got a cap). The last guy to come in was bullpen coach Bruce Tanner. He flipped his cap over the dugout roof, and I grabbed it...only to have a kid and his father start whining that this cap was theirs. I looked and saw that the kid was already holding two caps and pointed that out to him. He and his father claimed that they had to have a thrid cap, as the kid's sister wanted one, but couldn't make the game. I just blew both of them off...surprisingly, no other fans in the immediate area were backing Father and Son Greedy here...and the father made one last attempt to verbally browbeat me into giving up my cap for this "sister". I ignored him, but the kid followed me all the way to the top of the exit before my continued refusals (and Joe coming by to tell the kid to hasta la vista) finally got rid of him. Two caps wasn't enough for these fools, they wanted mine, as well. I can see, to some extreme, the kid getting obnoxious, but what kind of father encourages his son to be so greedy and pushy?

BTW, I still have the Bruce Tanner cap...and never saw Father & Son Greedy again.

Dave M.
Chicago area

LastingsMilledge85
01-27-2010, 05:44 PM
This story is actually funny and the kids weren't being obnoxious a definite "had to be there" moment. Back in 2007 at Shea stadium a young kid,maybe 10 or 9 the oldest, very funny to a ball player. Joe Smith was singing autographs and the kid asked Joe if he could have his hat, and Joe said, "You want my hat?" and smiled. Joe is a very nice guy BTW, but couldn't give up his hat.

Manram
01-27-2010, 05:53 PM
As promised, here's the thread..I'll start with one from the last game of the season several years ago at Wrigley Field.

My buddy Joe and I were among a dozen or so fans hanging behind the Pirates dugout as the Bucs left the field after their last game. Several players were tossing caps and other things into the stands, and I was, for the most part, shut out (Joe got a cap). The last guy to come in was bullpen coach Bruce Tanner. He flipped his cap over the dugout roof, and I grabbed it...only to have a kid and his father start whining that this cap was theirs. I looked and saw that the kid was already holding two caps and pointed that out to him. He and his father claimed that they had to have a thrid cap, as the kid's sister wanted one, but couldn't make the game. I just blew both of them off...surprisingly, no other fans in the immediate area were backing Father and Son Greedy here...and the father made one last attempt to verbally browbeat me into giving up my cap for this "sister". I ignored him, but the kid followed me all the way to the top of the exit before my continued refusals (and Joe coming by to tell the kid to hasta la vista) finally got rid of him. Two caps wasn't enough for these fools, they wanted mine, as well. I can see, to some extreme, the kid getting obnoxious, but what kind of father encourages his son to be so greedy and pushy?

BTW, I still have the Bruce Tanner cap...and never saw Father & Son Greedy again.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Thanks for the story. I have been waiting for it!

karamaxjoe
01-27-2010, 06:07 PM
That story seems about right for the typical modern obnoxious father and son combo.:rolleyes:

flota89
01-27-2010, 06:31 PM
Yea I know what you mean with those stories. I had a couple of those situations this year. The worst being in St. Louis for a Cards vs. Cubs game. Kevin Gregg was walking over near where a few people were near the dugout with a ball. I yelled out his name and held up my hands. He looked right at me and tossed the ball up. I caught it, and as I was looking it over i feel a finger tap me on the back. I turn around to see a guy, around 45 years old, staring at me. I ask him what he wanted and he goes "um that ball isnt yours. he threw it at me not you sir." I ask him why he thinks that and he goes "it was coming right at me and I think it's time you give it to me." I went on to explain to this man that I called out to Kevin Gregg and he was looking right at me, not to mention I was the one who actually caught the ball. Anyway, I spent the next few minutes telling this idiot why this ball isn't his, until a friend of mine finally got him to shut up and go away. Thats my story for the day :D

jbsportstuff
01-27-2010, 07:09 PM
I was at a Giants/Mariners game at Pac Bell the year that the park opened. Rickey Henderson was playing outfield and caught the last out of the inning. We happened to have seats about 5 rows behind the dugout. I had a mit in my hand and I kind of flexed it open and closed a couple of times. He looked my way, pointed to the ball, and then threw it to me. I caught it and he gave me a thumbs up. WELLLLLL Mr. Father 5 rows behind me started telling me that he was throwing HIM the ball. He had a cute little girl with him. STUPIDLY I gave the kid the ball. I NEVER should have done that. I have felt like a fool ever since.

rwoodsbats
01-27-2010, 07:10 PM
Around 1996-97 my father took me to spring training in Peoria to watch the Mariners. I was 14 or 15 at the time. My parents raised me to be respectful and nice to everyone. Joey Cora was signing by the M's dugout and I worked my way up to the front of the line. I was 3 people back when Joey said 3 more then I'm done. I look to my right and see a little girl about to bust out the big tears so I step back and let the little girl go. Once she gets to him the dad blocks me out and filters his 2 other kids in, I threw a nice mean mug at him and said your welcome! Joey of course signs for the kids and walks off, the dad turns around and smiles at me and says maybe next time punk. About that time the area clears out and Cora walks by and says to me "hey thanks for letting the little girl in, I'm sorry the guy was rude to you I didn't realize what was going on till I looked up again. Then asked me if I still wanted the ball signed. Of course I did! Worked out well for me and never saw the crying triplets or dad again.

rj_lucas
01-27-2010, 07:43 PM
I think the obnoxious kid/parent award goes to the 34 year old father and 15 year old son who jumped out of the stands in Chicago and attacked Kansas City Royals coach Tom Gamboa on the field in 2002.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/09/19/royals_whitesox_ap/

I'll bet those are some fun family reunions.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

Manram
01-27-2010, 08:51 PM
I think the obnoxious kid/parent award goes to the 34 year old father and 15 year old son who jumped out of the stands in Chicago and attacked Kansas City Royals coach Tom Gamboa on the field in 2002.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/09/19/royals_whitesox_ap/

I'll bet those are some fun family reunions.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

That is ridiculous

tmpjets
01-27-2010, 09:21 PM
I was at a Mariners game just this last July with my uncle, and had a loser of a guy rip some poor little girl out of a ball. My uncle and I were just beside the M's dugout 2 rows up. And as many times throughout the game there were some fly outs and players would toss them up to the fans. At one time around the the bottom of the 6th, I think it was Mike Sweeney threw one up in the stands, before the 3rd out a little girl about 8 ran down to catch the ball when the "A**hole" of a guy sitting right next to the girl jumped up and caught the ball and was like "Whoohoo!" the girl instantly started to cry. Funny thing is Sweeney didnt see any of it but Griffey saw the whole thing and said out loud to the guy..."What the F***" and waived at the guy and acted like he would sign the ball. Meanwhile the entire section was watching what was taking place, the guy very excited stood up and threw the ball to Griffey and then Jr. very sarcasticly looked at the ball then the guy and laughed at him and called the little girl over and gave her the ball and then the crowd clapped for joy as the player had to step in for a fan that was a major looser and was booed right out of the game. One more thing the guy was about 45 years old, what a chump.

jobathenut
01-27-2010, 09:55 PM
I told this story in the other thread that bread into sox83sox84 starting this thread.So i will tell it again on here.Me and my brother follow our local college hockey team and for the last 7 years we go to almost every home game and at least one away game.Anyway,we buy tickets on the street before the game so each game we sit in a different location.And a couple weeks ago vs north dekota we sat on the glass behind the penelty box.And there was a father and his 3 kids with him.Of course not wearing one thing related to the team.And seemed to be "commuted fans"(fans at a game that you wonder why are they there,must be part of there sentence to be there).Anyway,they of course got pucks from the players during warm-ups,because players always give to kids and not the two adults even thought they are wearing jerseys of thier team.And me i wear a jersey i had to get customed made as college hockey does not sell jerseys with names and numbers on them.And during the game the people in the penelty box gave 2 of the 3 kids pucks.And then the one kid kept yelling the whole 3rd period at the guys that "that the one kid did'nt get thier puck".And mind you they were never watching the game.And the game went it to overtime and the dad asked my brother what happens now.:eek: Yeah you guys are more derserving of pucks then we are.Sorry i know it's a long story.But i just can not get over how kids and parents think because they are kids they are entitled to things.But sports and the media has created that.

jobathenut
01-27-2010, 10:04 PM
tmpjets-Sorry but this is what i am upset about.Why is the little girl more entitled to the ball than the man?Why because its a little girl.Thats what i am talking about.I am tired of people thinking the kids deserve the items and not adults.I mean i have been a yankees fan since i was a little kid.But becuase i am a adult i shoul'dnt catch a ball that is throw in my direction.And i am sure the girl was a big fan,and wearing a jersey.And she could tell you the players names.Amnd was payoing attention to the game.I bet she did'nt even know the darn score of the game.KIDS DO NOT WATCH BASEBALLS GAMES.So the guy is a loser cause he did not let some little girl get a baseball.Yeah bad guy.:rolleyes:
I was at a Mariners game just this last July with my uncle, and had a loser of a guy rip some poor little girl out of a ball. My uncle and I were just beside the M's dugout 2 rows up. And as many times throughout the game there were some fly outs and players would toss them up to the fans. At one time around the the bottom of the 6th, I think it was Mike Sweeney threw one up in the stands, before the 3rd out a little girl about 8 ran down to catch the ball when the "A**hole" of a guy sitting right next to the girl jumped up and caught the ball and was like "Whoohoo!" the girl instantly started to cry. Funny thing is Sweeney didnt see any of it but Griffey saw the whole thing and said out loud to the guy..."What the F***" and waived at the guy and acted like he would sign the ball. Meanwhile the entire section was watching what was taking place, the guy very excited stood up and threw the ball to Griffey and then Jr. very sarcasticly looked at the ball then the guy and laughed at him and called the little girl over and gave her the ball and then the crowd clapped for joy as the player had to step in for a fan that was a major looser and was booed right out of the game. One more thing the guy was about 45 years old, what a chump.

legaleagle92481
01-27-2010, 11:58 PM
I go to hockey games alot and I purchase front row seats in the row next to the tunnel to my favorite teams locker room. As a result I have interacted with alot of players and I slap hands with them as they walk by. Anyway there is a teenage girl who proceeds to run down and stand right in front of me at the end of every period and she picks up a ton of game used merchandise this way as the players hand it to her over me because she is young and female and I am a balding adult male. Meanwhile I am the one paying a couple of hundred every time I come to sit there and she comes down from the rafters somewhere so it is a bit off topic but to me just as annoying. I have mentioned it to secruity and the ushers but they say "we cannot stop people from coming down here in between periods". Although noone but her does it every period of every game.

jobathenut
01-28-2010, 02:07 AM
I feel your anger on this.As i have said on here me and my brother have the same things happen to us at every hockey game we go to.But in your case there is no way i would let the darn brat getin front of me.And if them are your season tickets as i assume they are.I would tell the team and security do something or i am giving up my tickets.Its no tfair to you that you spend that much money and some kid from the noose bleed seats gets those items.But then again it's the players who are giving them to her.And why,because she's a kid.I know for "pr" reasons they do it.But to me giving it to someone wearing a jersey trumps giving to a kid just for kids sake.
I go to hockey games alot and I purchase front row seats in the row next to the tunnel to my favorite teams locker room. As a result I have interacted with alot of players and I slap hands with them as they walk by. Anyway there is a teenage girl who proceeds to run down and stand right in front of me at the end of every period and she picks up a ton of game used merchandise this way as the players hand it to her over me because she is young and female and I am a balding adult male. Meanwhile I am the one paying a couple of hundred every time I come to sit there and she comes down from the rafters somewhere so it is a bit off topic but to me just as annoying. I have mentioned it to secruity and the ushers but they say "we cannot stop people from coming down here in between periods". Although noone but her does it every period of every game.

jbsportstuff
01-28-2010, 10:44 AM
tmpjets-Sorry but this is what i am upset about.Why is the little girl more entitled to the ball than the man?Why because its a little girl.Thats what i am talking about.I am tired of people thinking the kids deserve the items and not adults.I mean i have been a yankees fan since i was a little kid.But becuase i am a adult i shoul'dnt catch a ball that is throw in my direction.And i am sure the girl was a big fan,and wearing a jersey.And she could tell you the players names.Amnd was payoing attention to the game.I bet she did'nt even know the darn score of the game.KIDS DO NOT WATCH BASEBALLS GAMES.So the guy is a loser cause he did not let some little girl get a baseball.Yeah bad guy.:rolleyes:
In this case I can't agree at all with what you are saying. My 11 year old son and I go to several games and he is a huge fan. If someone were throwing him a ball and some adult jumped in front of him to catch it, I would be very upset. Do you have children? My son DOES watch the game, he can tell you a lot about ever player on the field. I NEVER let him get in front of other people to get autographs, but because he is so polite and kind, the players sometimes give him a ball. He puts each of these on a little shelf that I build him. I just can't agree with a middle age man(which I am) jumping in front of a person who was supposed to get the item. No way!!!

coxfan
01-28-2010, 11:16 AM
At Vero Beach one year my wife was waiting patiently for players to walk by for autographs. A woman walked up behind her with four kids. She handed each kid a sack of balls and gave instructions to get only one signature on each ball. Obviously, she was using the kids to get autographed balls she could then sell on ebay. But the clincher was: She told each child " Go ahead and push to the front of the line. You're entitled to get ahead of the adults."

A more positive story was from the Braves' spring training field at a game with the Mets. During a rain delay, two Mets came out of the dugout to sign, causing two lines to form. I walked up to the side of one line and asked a 12-year-old boy: who was signing for that line? He replied politely but firmly: " It's David Wright, sir, but you'll have go to the back of the line like everyone else!" I wasn't planning to get in line, but was amused by the little fellow's polite firmness to a man five times his age.

bigtruck260
01-28-2010, 11:39 AM
I mentioned the term 'Hoosier" in another thread, but it's what makes the world go round in the STL...

a hoosier is someone who jumps in front of a kid to catch a ball - and waves it around immediately telling everyone who is willing to listen that he/she is immediately going to put the ball on eBay or Craigslist. A Hoosier would call Adam Wainwright (probably the Mike Matheny 'nice guy' of the curent club) a jerk (or worse) because he chooses to ignore the drunken, slurring dude repeatedly calling his name for no other reason to get Adam to acknowledge his presence.

The Hoosier (this happens way too many times to be specific) is the guy that would knock a little kid over to get a ball being thrown to (the kid).

Look, I understand wanting a souvinir - but if you are an adult, and there are kids sitting all around you, and you catch a baseball thrown from a player, etc. - let a little kid have it. Seriously, it will not only make the kid's day, it might make him a fan of humanity...not just baseball.

stretch
01-28-2010, 11:47 AM
A couple years ago I made one of the cups to retrieve baseballs between the wall at Turner Field. Once during BP, a lady decided to scratch the hell out me (forearm to hand), and steal the ball right out of the cup when I was bringing it up from between the walls. My arm and hand started to bleed and the people around us noticed it. I'm rather tall, over 200 pounds, and have rather large feet (15-16 size), so my reaction was to step on her foot with mine. People started yelling at her due to not only what she had done, but also the blood factor, and the fans thought she was just yelling back at them while I was on her foot.

During BP a father and son happened to be waiting for bp balls beside me. A bp homerun goes between the walls at Turner Field and the guy picks his son up and drops him from his chest between the walls. His son was down for a few minutes, the dad was yelling at him to get up, and to get the ball. By the time the ushers made it down there all they told the father was to never do that again.

bigtruck260
01-28-2010, 11:47 AM
[quote=coxfan;183806]At Vero Beach one year my wife was waiting patiently for players to walk by for autographs. A woman walked up behind her with four kids. She handed each kid a sack of balls and gave instructions to get only one signature on each ball. Obviously, she was using the kids to get autographed balls she could then sell on ebay. But the clincher was: She told each child " Go ahead and push to the front of the line. You're entitled to get ahead of the adults." [quote]

If I saw this happen, I would let it go...most of us are better than that type of behavior. Eventually it will catch up with them. Players aren't stupid. Why do you think most stars rarely sign. Ignorant people spoil what could be a fun experience for a new fan.

godwulf
01-28-2010, 12:48 PM
I live in Arizona, and every year I go to as many Arizona Fall League games as I possibly can, even taking two weeks’ vacation in the middle of the six-week season to get in some day games without my job interfering. I’m usually able to attend 20-25 games during that six weeks.

My main enjoyment is The Game itself, of course, but I also try to get some autographs while I’m there – especially from the Diamondbacks prospects – and to corral some foul balls and then have them signed by the guys who hit them; last year I think I got a total of eight, and the year before, fifteen. It’s not the reason I go to the games, but I really enjoy it - it’s a fun hobby.

I almost always sit out in the right-field stands, and during day games, in the beautiful Arizona sunshine, I’m often the only one out there – just about everyone else is clustered under the shade in the sections behind home plate – but it’s a good perspective on the game, and a lot of foul balls come my way. Unfortunately, nearly every time one does, one of the fathers who has brought his two or three small kids out to the park (I can only assume that they’re home schooled, since this is October and a week day) dispatches his kids over to where I’m sitting to beg for the ball. The thing is, these kids, in most cases, have already got a ball or two each already, given to them by players or adult fans, but it’s a competition – egged on by the fathers – to see who can get the most, apparently.

These kids, for the most part aged 8-12, wander around the stadium, when they’re not sitting on their butts in the shade, mouthing off at the top of their lungs about how many balls they’re going to get, paying attention to the game only when a ball is hit and looks to be going foul. A couple of times, as they’ve wandered by, I’ve told them, “Be careful…you’re gonna accidentally see some of the game!” If a kid is over in my section and a ball is coming down there, I will only go for it if it’s so close it would be ridiculous not to – otherwise, it’s theirs, as far as I’m concerned…but if I’m all alone in that section, and some kid is running over out of the shade wanting me to give him the ball I’ve been getting the left side of my face badly sunburned for, forget it!

One year a couple of extra-bratty boys, maybe seven or eight years old, were doing this, and at one point one of them came up to me, on the verge of tears, saying that he’d dropped his little toy fielder’s mitt beneath the stands – apparently the adults he was presumably with were too “busy” to help – so of course I retrieved it for him – no thanks was forthcoming, of course – and not ten minutes later, they were standing in front of me, telling me, in obnoxious, taunting voices, “We’re going to get all the balls, and you’re not going to get any!” I asked the one kid if he had already forgotten who helped him get his glove back, and he just looked at me like he had no idea what I was even talking about.

Toward the end of the last Scottsdale Scorpions game last season, Phillies prospect Chase D’Arnaud hit a high, high pop into my section – I mean, one of those balls that goes up so high you practically lose sight of it – and even though I sucked at high school Geometry, I could see that it was going to fall within a foot or two of where I was standing. If I caught that ball bare-handed, I was going to get a huge ovation from the crowd – and most likely a broken hand…so I let it drop and just hoped it wouldn’t bounce out onto the field. As it happened, the ball came down exactly between the two seats directly in front of me and stuck in the framework of one of them – I only had to reach down and fish it out. Immediately, I hear the sound of running feet, and a couple of voices – the parents of the converging kids, no doubt – yelling, “Give it to the kid!” I’m guessing that if I had decided to try to catch the thing, and had been lying on the ground, writhing in pain, they’d have been saying the same thing.

Night games are infinitely worse, to the point where I go to those games not even expecting to snag a foul. Gangs of half a dozen to a dozen older boys, some who look to be at least sixteen, array themselves around the stadium and will literally run your ass over if you get between them and a foul ball. HoHoKam stadium, where the Cubs have ST, is the worst, as far as having a bunch of foul-mouthed little jerks prowling the stands.

I think this is the year that I go ahead and get the t-shirt I designed a couple of years ago made – the one with the hawk and baseball logo and the words in Latin that roughly translate as, “'Give the ball to the kid', my ass!” :D

bigtruck260
01-28-2010, 01:01 PM
Godwolf - that's a unique perspective...and one that I totally respect. Thanks for sharing.

I guess to clarify my earlier comments, there are times and places for certain behavior. Those parents that were egging the kids on - are probably a parallel breed to the 'hoosiers' I was describing.

Nothing against Ballhawks - they have their place...but I have seen a few ballhawks (even at Wrigley) give a kid a spare ball.

Most of the kids I have come across in STL are well mannered and genuinely excited to be at a Cards game...but there are always a few that you can look at the parents and tell that the "apple don't fall far from the tree".

Thanks for the story GW. Much appreciated.

OaklandAsFan
01-28-2010, 01:23 PM
I live in Arizona, and every year I go to as many Arizona Fall League games as I possibly can, even taking two weeks’ vacation in the middle of the six-week season to get in some day games without my job interfering. I’m usually able to attend 20-25 games during that six weeks.

My main enjoyment is The Game itself, of course, but I also try to get some autographs while I’m there – especially from the Diamondbacks prospects – and to corral some foul balls and then have them signed by the guys who hit them; last year I think I got a total of eight, and the year before, fifteen. It’s not the reason I go to the games, but I really enjoy it - it’s a fun ho

I almost always sit out in the right-field stands, and during day games, in the beautiful Arizona sunshine, I’m often the only one out there – just about everyone else is clustered under the shade in the sections behind home plate – but it’s a good perspective on the game, and a lot of foul balls come my way. Unfortunately, nearly every time one does, one of the fathers who has brought his two or three small kids out to the park (I can only assume that they’re home schooled, since this is October and a week day) dispatches his kids over to where I’m sitting to beg for the ball. The thing is, these kids, in most cases, have already got a ball or two each already, given to them by players or adult fans, but it’s a competition – egged on by the fathers – to see who can get the most, apparently.

These kids, for the most part aged 8-12, wander around the stadium, when they’re not sitting on their butts in the shade, mouthing off at the top of their lungs about how many balls they’re going to get, paying attention to the game only when a ball is hit and looks to be going foul. A couple of times, as they’ve wandered by, I’ve told them, “Be careful…you’re gonna accidentally see some of the game!” If a kid is over in my section and a ball is coming down there, I will only go for it if it’s so close it would be ridiculous not to – otherwise, it’s theirs, as far as I’m concerned…but if I’m all alone in that section, and some kid is running over out of the shade wanting me to give him the ball I’ve been getting the left side of my face badly sunburned for, forget it!

One year a couple of extra-bratty boys, maybe seven or eight years old, were doing this, and at one point one of them came up to me, on the verge of tears, saying that he’d dropped his little toy fielder’s mitt beneath the stands – apparently the adults he was presumably with were too “busy” to help – so of course I retrieved it for him – no thanks was forthcoming, of course – and not ten minutes later, they were standing in front of me, telling me, in obnoxious, taunting voices, “We’re going to get all the balls, and you’re not going to get any!” I asked the one kid if he had already forgotten who helped him get his glove back, and he just looked at me like he had no idea what I was even talking about.

Toward the end of the last Scottsdale Scorpions game last season, Phillies prospect Chase D’Arnaud hit a high, high pop into my section – I mean, one of those balls that goes up so high you practically lose sight of it – and even though I sucked at high school Geometry, I could see that it was going to fall within a foot or two of where I was standing. If I caught that ball bare-handed, I was going to get a huge ovation from the crowd – and most likely a broken hand…so I let it drop and just hoped it wouldn’t bounce out onto the field. As it happened, the ball came down exactly between the two seats directly in front of me and stuck in the framework of one of them – I only had to reach down and fish it out. Immediately, I hear the sound of running feet, and a couple of voices – the parents of the converging kids, no doubt – yelling, “Give it to the kid!” I’m guessing that if I had decided to try to catch the thing, and had been lying on the ground, writhing in pain, they’d have been saying the same thing.

Night games are infinitely worse, to the point where I go to those games not even expecting to snag a foul. Gangs of half a dozen to a dozen older boys, some who look to be at least sixteen, array themselves around the stadium and will literally run your ass over if you get between them and a foul ball. HoHoKam stadium, where the Cubs have ST, is the worst, as far as having a bunch of foul-mouthed little jerks prowling the stands.

I think this is the year that I go ahead and get the t-shirt I designed a couple of years ago made – the one with the hawk and baseball logo and the words in Latin that roughly translate as, “'Give the ball to the kid', my ass!” :D


godwulf I was going to bring up Arizona Fall League. HoHoKam has one family of little brats that their parents take them out of school to bring them to the games. I was at the last game of the season there this year and I could hear the mother and father egging their kids into asking for anything and literally everything they could get after the game from hats and bats to fielding gloves, jerseys, undershirts, sunglasses.

You and I have already spoken about how I go about getting stuff but my little kids get things also but i don't urge or force them into it. When a bat breaks they ask if they can have it. If the answer is no or someone else gets it first oh well they move on and continue to enjoy the game, same thing with foul balls. If they get it great, if not oh well move on.

I actually had some jerk give me grief after a game in Phoenix this season because I asked for a broken bat from Grant Desme and he gave it to me and my boy was standing next to me and very politely and quietly asked Adam Loewen for a broken bat as well and Adam gave it to him. As we were leaving this guy called me a jerk and said I could spread the wealth a bit.

My kids all get their own things, if they ask for it and get it, that piece gets hung up in their room. As a matter of fact I literally only have 1 game used hockey stick that is mine, the one I got from Ilya Bryzgalov after the final game of last year, every other stick in this house belongs to one of my children.

More on topic, I refuse to let my kids pull that BS guilt trip about baseballs and such, they all know its a competition end of story, you have x amount of people at a game and most of them would love to get their hands on something so it wont be easy. Don't cry about it. Things that I have had issues with in the past for example were several years ago when Ramon Hernandez was still on the A's. After a game he went to hand my daughter a pair of batting gloves and my daughter actually had her hands on them and some jerk ripped them out of her hands. I was going to do something about it and then I saw Ramon and he said hold on a minute, went back into the dugout and came back with a pair of batting gloves and a bat and gave them to her while giving the guy a dirty look.

Another issue is signing autographs, I always cringe when I see a big name player walk over to a railing to sign because its almost inevitable that there will be a big push to get to him and some poor little child will get crushed into the railing. I actually saw one time where the player (I foget who it was at this point) stopped signing autographs and picked a little boy up over the railing and carried him into the dugout and gave him a bat then walked back over and found the boys father and handed him back. Then he walked into the dugout and went inside no more autographs for rude people.

commando
01-28-2010, 01:48 PM
The rude, arrogant, selfish nature of some people is just astounding. Unfortunately, it's not surprising to me, having dealt with the kinds of people my entire adult life. What you often see in these situations is literally animalistic, where the strong ones in the pack get the "food."

Some of these stories are crazy. What if a husband was handing his wife a five dollar bill, and a stranger runs up and grabs it? Isn't that theft? Well it's no different than a player DIRECTLY handing someone a ball or piece of equipment, and some random person rushing in and taking it. We're not talking about a free-for-all item like a foul ball or item randomly tossed into the stands.

sox83cubs84
01-28-2010, 02:38 PM
This one's about an obnoxious and aggravating father. It was a Cubs-Rangers BP before an Interleague Game at the Unfriendly Confines, and several people wear near the Rangers dugout. As Kevin Mench heads over to the cage, I call out and ask if he'll remember me if he cracks his bat. Mench nooded, but a father (with a kid) next to me suddenly admonishes me. "You shouldn't ask for bats" this goof proclaims.

"Huh?" I ask, annoyed and puzzled.

"You should only ask for autographs", he intoned.

The next few minutes were spent with me demanding to know what business it was of his what I asked for, and him trying to defend his idiotic statements.

At one point, he asked, "You don't have any kids, do you?"

My response: "No, and, considering the way most of them act around the ballpark, I'm GLAD I don't!" That shut him up.

Later, A-Rod comes by, and signs autographs in his usual ballpark fashion (meaning picking through the crowd for the kids and ignoring the adults). This guy's kid (who, actaully, wasn't badly behaved) handed A-Rod a dark brown mini-bat and a blue sharpie. A-Rod signed, but, afterwards, you couldn't see the autograph! Regardless, the obnoxious dad turned into a drama queen, and waxed poetic about what a great autograph he got (even if he can't see it), and how much he was going to cherish it for the rest of his life. I tried to barf, but only managed a little spittle.

Dave M.
Chicago area

godwulf
01-28-2010, 03:19 PM
I've totally given up on trying to get a cracked bat during the Fall League - unless, as has happened a couple of times, I see one listed on eBay. I'm really only interested in getting one that's been used by one of the DBacks prospects, so on those rare occasions when one of those guys has cracked a bat, and I've positioned myself to ask for it after the game, a young woman in her early 20s, dressed for the beach, has rushed in ahead of me and gotten it. Last season it happened twice, and it was the same woman both times.

earlywynnfan
01-28-2010, 04:17 PM
Not the biggest jerk story in the world, but it's stuck with me:

Sitting down the row from a man with his little boy at a Tribe game last year. Dad catches a foul ball and hands it to the boy, and the kid did just what he's seen on TV: He throws it back onto the field. Only we're a little too far up to make the field, so it ends up going several rows in front of us, and bounces on the stairs. This guy down there picks it up, looks back, then turns to his own kid and hands it to him. Some people who had seen this start telling the guy where the ball came from, and the first dad actually went down and pointed out his son. But the second dad kept the ball, and ignored the heckling he recieved the rest of the game. I have to wonder how he justified this to his son??

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

tmpjets
01-28-2010, 05:08 PM
I feel your anger on this.As i have said on here me and my brother have the same things happen to us at every hockey game we go to.But in your case there is no way i would let the darn brat getin front of me.And if them are your season tickets as i assume they are.I would tell the team and security do something or i am giving up my tickets.Its no tfair to you that you spend that much money and some kid from the noose bleed seats gets those items.But then again it's the players who are giving them to her.And why,because she's a kid.I know for "pr" reasons they do it.But to me giving it to someone wearing a jersey trumps giving to a kid just for kids sake.

Yes, I do agree with you all, paying good money to sit in the seats and have some kids from 30 rows up run down and get a ball that might have been thrown my way is horrible. At this M's game that wasnt the case the ball was clearly thrown to the little girl. I myself have had many missed balls and autos within two feet of players asking for an autograph only to have some rude parent shove there kid in between full grown adults, and then to give the old one liners"Dont forget the kids" "he was signing hers not yours" and etc...etc. I many of times have told the parents to back off and gotten some dirty looks but then I say "Excuse me but me and the other people here have been standing here since the gates opened and your just being rude, showing up 10 mins ago and think you just can walk in." And in some cases there are a few fans that back eachother up as we all been robbed by some obnoxious kids/parents in the past. Sorry if I was sounded like I was taking sides, because I wasnt, just reading some of these stories reminds me of many past events and only makes me think back and angers me of many lost balls and chances to get an autograph.

sox83cubs84
01-28-2010, 08:51 PM
tmpjets:

I've been that way, as well. Kids who just think they can waltz up to the front of the wall and edge in front of you 45 minutes after you've gotten there. Not to mention parents who do the same thing. I had a woman at Wrigley Field urge me to leave my spot on the wall after I caught a foul ball (a roller I gloved over the wall, nothing her kid would have gotten). I forgot just what I told her, but I do recall she gave up trying to boss me around.

Then there's their cousins in ignorance, the place-fillers. You got a player's autograph, and, out of consideration, let a kid in front of you so they can get an autograph, as well. The player signs for the kid, a few others, and then leaves, and the kid suddenly thinks it's HIS spot, even though you told him 3 minutes earlier that you weren't giving him the spot...just moving out of the way so he could get an autograph, too.:eek:

Worst at the Unfriendly Confines are one or two old lady ushers down the foul lines (the only place you can now approach the wall at the ballpark) who start telling long-positoned fans (mostly adults) to leave their spots so the kids can get in. I've seen them do it numerous times...just waiting for one of these old biddies to tell ME that.

More to follow later...keep the great posts coming!

Dave M.
Chicago area

flota89
01-28-2010, 09:26 PM
Something pretty similar happened to me at the all-star game this year. I had just got a ball tossed to me in my favorite spot to get baseballs. Now, I wanted a ball with the All-star logo on it. Well this one had the home run logo so I stayed in my spot. Being only 15 years old at the time I figured I was young enough to try for another ball. Well some mom comes up demanding I move so her kid can have the spot. She said something like what would you do with two balls anyway, which made me and the guy next to me chuckle a little but. :P I turned around and said no, then ignored her for ten minutes while she talked to herself.

eisenreich8
01-28-2010, 09:46 PM
I went for a number of years to the Boston Baseball Writers dinner at the Boston Sheraton. A list of some of the MLB-connected folks I was so fortunate to meet over the years: Sain, Spahn, Pesky, Mrs. Yawkey, Glavine, Rice, Mo Vaughn, Clemens, Tudor, Barrett, Eisenreich, Steve Palermo, Peter Gammons, Piniella, etc etc. More than I can really remember, it was a baseball goldmine.

One year, at the far end of the head table (a looooong table), just when they opened up the floodgates for the 1000 or so fans to seek out autographs from their favorite personalities, I decided to focus on John Tudor for an auto. He was extremely nice and we had a great little chat. I slid a Tudor Topps card to him with a Sharpie. He signed and kept talking and absent-mindedly slid the card straight forward (toward a kid about 12 years old) instead of to his left where I was standing. In the gaggle of kids and adults milling around in that small space, the kid just grabbed the card and started to walk off with it. Tudor yelled "Hey! Bring that card back here!" and then slid it over to me. It's kind of embarrassing to relate this story as I was probably 32 or so when it happened.

But I WILL fight a kid for an autograph I just have to have! :) Not really. It's not like the kid was especially obnoxious, but he was trying to get one over. Tudor wound up being a good guy in my eyes for that.

Sangy 35
01-28-2010, 09:52 PM
I have a couple. At Riverfront in the early 1990's, Reds and Phillies. My oldest son is standing along the left field foul line, wearing his T-ball jersey and watching the Phillies run sprints before the game. Lenny Dykstra picked up a ball and walked over to him, and yells "hey, number 12, here you go". 12 was the number on his jersey. Lenny flips him the ball, and he drops it, and some moron, I'd guess in his early 30's runs in, scoops it up, and starts waving it around. Mitch Williams was standing there, saw it, and made some comment about the guy being part of the digestive system. Lenny picked up another ball, motioned him over to the rail and placed it in his glove. Moron comes down the aisle yelling for Lenny to sign "his" ball. Dykstra just glared at him, and yells out "I don't see no number 12 on your shirt, dude". Wouldn't sign it, the moron slunk off, hopefully feeling like crap. He's still got that ball.


The second was at a WV Power game in Charleston, WV. I took my son's, and one of the neighbor kids. It's hot as hell, about 250 people in the park. On our right was a man and his young son, on our left was a woman and her two shaved apes, I'd guess she was pushing 300 lbs hard. My youngest snagged two balls over the course of the game, the little kid next to us asked, and was given, a ball by the bullpen catcher. That really upset big momma, she kept saying it was a "shame" some people got something by just asking, and some didn't get anything. I went to get some food, as I got to the top of our aisle, a foul hit the steps, I caught it on one hop. Big momma hollers out "you better give that ball to a kid, you all have enough".
I thought of telling her off, but instead took it down and gave it to the kid who came with us. Made his day, he got some sigs on it after the game. I asked Big Momma if she was happy "a kid" got that ball. She jumped up, took her kids, and left. Tell you what, it made the rest of the game enjoyable, she did nothing but whine for about six inning acting like her kids were entitled to something. And the bad thing was, if they had just asked a player or coach for a ball, they would have gotten one.

Buster
01-28-2010, 11:34 PM
I have a fairly good story to share...

I was once driving through a parking lot at AT&T Park in San Francisco in 2001 to attend a game to see Barry Bonds, and it was tough to find a spot to park.

So, I'm driving down an aisle, and a group that had been tailgating was loading up their truck. Kind of jokingly, I ask the guy who is about to get into the driver's seat "Are you leaving?" and he amazingly says "Yes".

I looked at my friend, and we both kind of went KEWL! The guy says to me "My friend here is too drunk...we'll never get him into the game, so we're gonna take him home and come back." this was an insane spot, last spot in the row close to the sidewalk leading into the park!

So I back up to get out of his way, and he backs up towards the front of my car, blocking me from entering the space until he leaves. Just then, a big black Lincoln Navigator, coming down the end aisle around from the last one cuts the guy off leaving and pulls into the space. I instantly pull up next to him, my friend and I waving frantically. He has DARK tinted windows, but I am making eye contact with him through his windshield, and he appears to be alone. He looks at me, and gives me a shoulder shrug like "Oh well...too bad".

I get out, and run up to his passenger side, yelling at him that I was "waiting for that car to back out! This spot was mine! He doesn't roll down his passenger side window, but instead leans toward his driver window, which is down, and yells back "You were coming down the aisle pal, I beat you to it, don't be a sore loser." So I said "Hey, F YOU man!, this is BULL (something-or-other)!!

He then rolls down his back seat passenger side window, and sitting there in a car-seat for little ones is a girl who appears to be maybe 2 or 3 years old, and he starts saying to us both "That's nice, you guys have to carry on like this in front of my little girl!? Great, nice! How classy!!"

He KNOWS we couldn't have seen her, and had no idea she was there! This guy had gonads to use his daughter as a shield for his bad behavior!!

I stood there for a second, looking back and forth at my friend in amazement, and finally said to him "Well I'll tell you what, I suggest you roll that window back up or your daughter is really going to get an up front close and personal lesson in hand signage!"

He did, I got back in my car, and we went on in our search for a spot. What an ass.

He must have been a Barry Bonds fan.

jobathenut
01-28-2010, 11:38 PM
Yes i have a child.But that does'nt matter.So only if you have a kid can you give a thought about this.So if i said i did not have a kid.Yopu would say well you don't understand then.And ok i will revise my thought,most kids and kids i have observed at games do not watch the games,especially baseball games.I am sorry that you child and mine seem to be the exception to that.And you seem to be raising a child with the proper manners and all my respect goes to you for that.But as i have seen for myself most kids are very rude and the parents are the cause of it.I would never let my kid do the things i have seen and i would never have done that as a kid or my dad would have made sure that was my last game.And standing up in front of a kid to intercept a ball thrown to them is one thing.But in the story the person told it seemed like the ball went to the guy.They never said the guy went in front of the kid.And if the player is just throwing into a crowd then everyone young and old has a right to it.
In this case I can't agree at all with what you are saying. My 11 year old son and I go to several games and he is a huge fan. If someone were throwing him a ball and some adult jumped in front of him to catch it, I would be very upset. Do you have children? My son DOES watch the game, he can tell you a lot about ever player on the field. I NEVER let him get in front of other people to get autographs, but because he is so polite and kind, the players sometimes give him a ball. He puts each of these on a little shelf that I build him. I just can't agree with a middle age man(which I am) jumping in front of a person who was supposed to get the item. No way!!!

jobathenut
01-28-2010, 11:46 PM
So i have no right to keep a baseball thrown to me because i am a adult.Even though i have been a fan of the team since i was a kid and have follow the team since i was a kid.I usaully agree with alot that you say on here but i really have to disagree with you,and it pains me to say that.As that is just plain nonsense to me.So me wearing a jersey of the team and watching the game should give it to a kid who is not wearing and jersay and not watching the game.And me who would put it in a display case and remember who gave it to me.Should give it to a kid who is proberly going to leave it under his seats at the end of the game he is'nt even watching and has no clue who threw it at him.I understand the drunken guy thing and putting it on greed bay thing and you are right.But how about us true fans who have been wanting a baseball thrown to us since we were kids and at the age of 50 it finally happens.And we are suppose to give it to a kid.
I mentioned the term 'Hoosier" in another thread, but it's what makes the world go round in the STL...

a hoosier is someone who jumps in front of a kid to catch a ball - and waves it around immediately telling everyone who is willing to listen that he/she is immediately going to put the ball on eBay or Craigslist. A Hoosier would call Adam Wainwright (probably the Mike Matheny 'nice guy' of the curent club) a jerk (or worse) because he chooses to ignore the drunken, slurring dude repeatedly calling his name for no other reason to get Adam to acknowledge his presence.

The Hoosier (this happens way too many times to be specific) is the guy that would knock a little kid over to get a ball being thrown to (the kid).

Look, I understand wanting a souvinir - but if you are an adult, and there are kids sitting all around you, and you catch a baseball thrown from a player, etc. - let a little kid have it. Seriously, it will not only make the kid's day, it might make him a fan of humanity...not just baseball.

jobathenut
01-28-2010, 11:53 PM
In the sotry you implied that the player just threww the ball into the crowd and the guy stood up in his seat and caught it.Well unless the girl was behind him (and even if that was the case) i dont see anything wrong with what the guy did.If the player would have ewanted the girl to have it well,then call her down there and give it to her directly.If you throw a ball into the stands its free game to me.And if that would've a been a adult and not a little girl it wouldnt even be a story to you.Lets say that a player threw the ball at a adult and the adult dropped it and a little kid picked it up,should the kid give it to the adult saying it was obvious that the player threw it at the adult.Thats my point,most if not all of you would say no to that.But reverse the roles and you would say damn right the adult should give it to the kid.
Yes, I do agree with you all, paying good money to sit in the seats and have some kids from 30 rows up run down and get a ball that might have been thrown my way is horrible. At this M's game that wasnt the case the ball was clearly thrown to the little girl. I myself have had many missed balls and autos within two feet of players asking for an autograph only to have some rude parent shove there kid in between full grown adults, and then to give the old one liners"Dont forget the kids" "he was signing hers not yours" and etc...etc. I many of times have told the parents to back off and gotten some dirty looks but then I say "Excuse me but me and the other people here have been standing here since the gates opened and your just being rude, showing up 10 mins ago and think you just can walk in." And in some cases there are a few fans that back eachother up as we all been robbed by some obnoxious kids/parents in the past. Sorry if I was sounded like I was taking sides, because I wasnt, just reading some of these stories reminds me of many past events and only makes me think back and angers me of many lost balls and chances to get an autograph.

tmpjets
01-29-2010, 01:05 AM
In the sotry you implied that the player just threww the ball into the crowd and the guy stood up in his seat and caught it.Well unless the girl was behind him (and even if that was the case) i dont see anything wrong with what the guy did.If the player would have ewanted the girl to have it well,then call her down there and give it to her directly.If you throw a ball into the stands its free game to me.And if that would've a been a adult and not a little girl it wouldnt even be a story to you.Lets say that a player threw the ball at a adult and the adult dropped it and a little kid picked it up,should the kid give it to the adult saying it was obvious that the player threw it at the adult.Thats my point,most if not all of you would say no to that.But reverse the roles and you would say damn right the adult should give it to the kid.

Look the guy cut the girl off plan and simple, yeah she shouldnt have came down from a few rows up. But Ken Griffey Jr. was standing right towards then end of the dugout and even he could believe what the guy did. Its just a story at one time and one place in a game that happens many times across America at most sports events. No need to get personal. Please stop and Thank you.

bigtruck260
01-29-2010, 11:27 AM
Joba -

The point of my post was that those little ones (3-5 years old) are just beginning to have memories that they will remember forever. The kid might not be paying full attention to the game, but if someone (out of the kindness of their heart) gives the little kid a cool thing like a baseball...it will hopefully be a lasting memory that will (hopefully) get them into the sport. The least it will do is give the kid a lasting memory of someone's generosity and kindness.

I agree that there are some rude little kids out there, but 3-5 year olds are usually innocent...and yes, a few of them are gifted bad behavior through ther gene pool. You can easily tell the good from the bad.

It's cool to catch a baseball and all...but (for me) it's just cooler seeing a kid decked out in a jersey that is way too big - wearing a huge glove...getting a baseball from a caring adult.

We do things a little differently in St. Louis - we tend to be nicer than the average fan.

Joba - just my opinion...I respect yours too.

jobathenut
01-30-2010, 04:30 AM
Wow,how was i getting personal? I thought we were having a discussion.You guys really need to calm down.It's a forum and you are suppose to give your thoughts.I really resent being called out for giving mine.None of you people know me so stop acting like to do.
Look the guy cut the girl off plan and simple, yeah she shouldnt have came down from a few rows up. But Ken Griffey Jr. was standing right towards then end of the dugout and even he could believe what the guy did. Its just a story at one time and one place in a game that happens many times across America at most sports events. No need to get personal. Please stop and Thank you.

jobathenut
01-30-2010, 04:53 AM
BIGTRUCK-This is why you are one of my favorite posters on here and i respect you.Because you can stae your thoughts and disagree with me but do it without being personal about it.I realize i see things different than others on here.But that does'nt make me a bad person.And i certainly did'nt deserve the personal attack that "NYCRULESU" posted about me.I know it's a forum and people disagree and i understand that and i am fine with that.But it should nver get personal like they did to me.We are not all going to agree.But can we disagree without being personal about it.Now i don't agree with what you said,but i respect that you have the right to say it.And who am i to say you don't.And you should be able to do it without being called a lonely person.yeah i know i could have just ignored what was writen about me.But i guess if they wanted to get to me,well they won cause it did.And now i think i am done being on here.Because life is streeful enough and like others that have bailed on this site for the same reason.I come on here for a release of the daily stress and now i am getting it on here by people that don't even know me.But i want to thank you for the respect and god bless you,as you are truly one of the good people.
Joba -

The point of my post was that those little ones (3-5 years old) are just beginning to have memories that they will remember forever. The kid might not be paying full attention to the game, but if someone (out of the kindness of their heart) gives the little kid a cool thing like a baseball...it will hopefully be a lasting memory that will (hopefully) get them into the sport. The least it will do is give the kid a lasting memory of someone's generosity and kindness.

I agree that there are some rude little kids out there, but 3-5 year olds are usually innocent...and yes, a few of them are gifted bad behavior through ther gene pool. You can easily tell the good from the bad.

It's cool to catch a baseball and all...but (for me) it's just cooler seeing a kid decked out in a jersey that is way too big - wearing a huge glove...getting a baseball from a caring adult.

We do things a little differently in St. Louis - we tend to be nicer than the average fan.

Joba - just my opinion...I respect yours too.

jobathenut
01-30-2010, 05:14 AM
And by the way "tmpjets".When i said "you" in the example i was using in my post.I sure hope that's not what you took as "personal".As it was ment "you" as almost everyone.If you read that as personal i am sorry about that.Again forum's are to discuss things and saying "stop" does not make sense to me.As it's a forum and discussions can go on and on.And disagreeing with someone is not a personal attack, what NYCRULESU did to me, now thats a personal attack on someone.I was just using the word "you" as a general word to describe people in general.
Look the guy cut the girl off plan and simple, yeah she shouldnt have came down from a few rows up. But Ken Griffey Jr. was standing right towards then end of the dugout and even he could believe what the guy did. Its just a story at one time and one place in a game that happens many times across America at most sports events. No need to get personal. Please stop and Thank you.

sox83cubs84
01-30-2010, 04:52 PM
Just to clarify a few things from my perspective:

If a baseball is thrown where it's obvious that a kid/disabled person is the intended recipient, I will not interfere with that. However, if it's tossed to me personally, and a kid whines about it, tough tooties.

I have sometimes given away baseballs to kids when I have caught multiples. However, my approach is to give it to a kid seated several rows up, or one just coming down the stairs with his/her parents.

Big Truck is right when he mentioned some of the Waveland Avenue Ballhawks giving away BP homers. Of course, if that's a live ball and they have a chance to catch it, many of them couldn't care less about pimping a kid...even if they give it to the kid later. One of the group, at County Staium in the 1990s, refused to give a kid a ball he only got because it hit that kid's in the head and deflected to him. That would not be my way of doing things.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Neal
01-30-2010, 05:50 PM
I caught one foul ball in my lifetime. I am set for life.

If I catch another and my two boys are not with me, I will give it to the closest kid.

If a player throws a ball in my direction and there are kids around, I will stay perfectly still. Who wants to look like a jackass in front of an entire section? Not me.

gingi79
01-30-2010, 06:07 PM
Look I'm going to get blasted for this but it's the internet and I can voice my opinion and you can disagree. Feel free to. I'm also up for listening to your opinion and I consider myself open minded enough to be swayed by a good argument.

We live in the cult of the child right now. Everything is done to make their lives easier and safer and we spend entirely too much time pampering them and making them feel they are better then everyone else. This created a natural feeling that they have a "right" to everything and the expense of others.

I am a teacher and I am a camp counselor. I see first hand that even in high school and 5th grade, sharing must be reinforced. Gimme it! It's MINE!

I have gone to baseball games since 1985. That means I am celebrating my 25th consecutive season at the ballpark this summer. I have missed out on my hero's autographs because obnoxious kids were pushed in front of me and I was pulled out of the way. They sold those signatures on eBay, I would have cherished mine. I snagged a fly ball during batting practice one summer and gave it to my camper because he was a huge fan and I knew it would mean everything to him. He sold it to another camper and had no idea why I was disappointed. "It was mine, I deserved it, you just caught it for me"

However, I believe in Karma. I believe that one day, I am going to catch a Matt Diaz Home Run ball because I have done my part for the benefit of future fans. If that means having to jockey for position to snag it and some kid misses out, I don't care. I earned the right to catch it because I've been to hundreds of games and I had to wait my turn. Kid beats me out for it? He earned it. However, a birth certificate is not a license to own everything your grubby behind desires.

I also think kids should have to wait for years to get a ball, just like the rest of us. Now if a player throws a kid a ball, lucky him. Kid deserves it. But just because they are young and spoiled doesn't mean we should all feel obligated to give them what they want, just because they want it.

I am willing to bet there are millions of fans who have rooted for their team for years and never got lucky enough to catch a ball. We still show up, it doesn't make us stop going, it doesn't make us like the team less and in fact, it means much more to long time fans who finally snag one.

Maybe if we stopped thinking everything should be given to the kids whenever they want it, they would become adults who wouldn't spend all day praying at the alter of their children.

But what do I know? Maybe I'm wrong. At least in someone else's eyes

Neal
01-30-2010, 06:31 PM
I caught one foul ball in my lifetime. I am set for life.

If I catch another and my two boys are not with me, I will give it to the closest kid.

If a player throws a ball in my direction and there are kids around, I will stay perfectly still. Who wants to look like a jackass in front of an entire section? Not me.

If I catch a home run ball, I keep it ... even at Wrigley (of course, I would run like hell if it was Wrigley) :D

eisenreich8
01-30-2010, 06:49 PM
If I catch a home run ball, I keep it ... even at Wrigley (of course, I would run like hell if it was Wrigley) :D


Mr. Bartman,

Welcome to the forum! :)

Buster
01-30-2010, 06:58 PM
Look I'm going to get blasted for this but it's the internet and I can voice my opinion and you can disagree. Feel free to. I'm also up for listening to your opinion and I consider myself open minded enough to be swayed by a good argument.

We live in the cult of the child right now. Everything is done to make their lives easier and safer and we spend entirely too much time pampering them and making them feel they are better then everyone else. This created a natural feeling that they have a "right" to everything and the expense of others.

I am a teacher and I am a camp counselor. I see first hand that even in high school and 5th grade, sharing must be reinforced. Gimme it! It's MINE!

I have gone to baseball games since 1985. That means I am celebrating my 25th consecutive season at the ballpark this summer. I have missed out on my hero's autographs because obnoxious kids were pushed in front of me and I was pulled out of the way. They sold those signatures on eBay, I would have cherished mine. I snagged a fly ball during batting practice one summer and gave it to my camper because he was a huge fan and I knew it would mean everything to him. He sold it to another camper and had no idea why I was disappointed. "It was mine, I deserved it, you just caught it for me"

However, I believe in Karma. I believe that one day, I am going to catch a Matt Diaz Home Run ball because I have done my part for the benefit of future fans. If that means having to jockey for position to snag it and some kid misses out, I don't care. I earned the right to catch it because I've been to hundreds of games and I had to wait my turn. Kid beats me out for it? He earned it. However, a birth certificate is not a license to own everything your grubby behind desires.

I also think kids should have to wait for years to get a ball, just like the rest of us. Now if a player throws a kid a ball, lucky him. Kid deserves it. But just because they are young and spoiled doesn't mean we should all feel obligated to give them what they want, just because they want it.

I am willing to bet there are millions of fans who have rooted for their team for years and never got lucky enough to catch a ball. We still show up, it doesn't make us stop going, it doesn't make us like the team less and in fact, it means much more to long time fans who finally snag one.

Maybe if we stopped thinking everything should be given to the kids whenever they want it, they would become adults who wouldn't spend all day praying at the alter of their children.

But what do I know? Maybe I'm wrong. At least in someone else's eyes

Not only do I agree with you in regards to baseballs flying into the crowds, I agree with you in general.

Kids today are being ruined with their "entitlement-happy" parents throwing their weight around. It's not a good thing for the kiddies as they grow up.

They'll be the ones getting punked out and beaten by their peers in schools. No one likes a spoiled brat. Learning while you're young that you just can't have everything you want in life is a good thing. It builds character. It makes you appreciate what you do obtain in life a lot more.

Buster

godwulf
01-30-2010, 07:13 PM
Not only do I agree with you in regards to baseballs flying into the crowds, I agree with you in general.

As do I.

As I told a kid at one game, who was begging for the foul ball I'd snagged, "Hey, I'm old...I don't know how many more years of chasing down foul balls I've got left."

(Actually, I'm only 55, but to a snotnosed kid like that, I'm freakin' Methuselah.)

platinum1
01-30-2010, 07:24 PM
If I catch a home run ball, I keep it ... even at Wrigley (of course, I would run like hell if it was Wrigley) :D
I hate it when they throw the ball back.
When they do this at Sox park I will rag on them person until they leave.
If your going to do that crap go to the northside idiots.
Now back to the original topic

sox83cubs84
01-30-2010, 07:50 PM
I hate it when they throw the ball back.
When they do this at Sox park I will rag on them person until they leave.
If your going to do that crap go to the northside idiots.
Now back to the original topic

Edgar, I've snagged a half-dozen or so visiting home runs at Wrigley. I've NEVER thrown the home run back...I've never even thrown a decoy ball back. I couldn't care less what the drunks in the bleachers think.

Funny thing, though...when I grabbed a Dante Bichette home run on Waveland in 1997, several of the guys wimped out and threw one back for me...they were worried that bleacher drunks would come out of the park and start doing some butt-kicking.

The whole practice is asinine...if someone does it at a Sox game, rag on 'em to your heart's content...they've earned it.

Dave M.
Chicago area

jobathenut
01-30-2010, 07:54 PM
As you can tell by what i have posted on this thread.I totally agree with you.Even though i have children i think the country is way too much about "what about the children".Whenever something happens the first question they ask is that.I even heard mike and mike talk about that whole gun thing and arenas and ask "what should we tell the kids".And as the topic of this thread is the whole thing is always give the ball or puck to the kid.When i was growing up as a kid back then it was not like that.There was no "it's all about the kids" way of thinking.And my parents did not raise me to have my hand out and think i was entiltled just cause i am a kid to have things.But then according to NYCRULESU i am just a lonely person who picks the other side to just pick fights.Because to them if you disagree that means you are argueing.And being personal if you disagree also.I guess i thought i was having a discussion.But if they read the whole thread they will see i am not the only one that thinks that about kids.And this thread was about rude obnoxious kids and parents.And not about kids haiving the rights to items at games just because they are kids.And one person posted a story missing the topic of the thread and i responded to it.So if you get blasted for saying your point of view, just know you have to stand in line as i have already been blasted on here.For expressing the same point of views.It's just funny that NYCRULESU has only posted on here personally attacking just me and none of the others that think the same way as me. andquote=gingi79;184289]Look I'm going to get blasted for this but it's the internet and I can voice my opinion and you can disagree. Feel free to. I'm also up for listening to your opinion and I consider myself open minded enough to be swayed by a good argument.

We live in the cult of the child right now. Everything is done to make their lives easier and safer and we spend entirely too much time pampering them and making them feel they are better then everyone else. This created a natural feeling that they have a "right" to everything and the expense of others.

I am a teacher and I am a camp counselor. I see first hand that even in high school and 5th grade, sharing must be reinforced. Gimme it! It's MINE!

I have gone to baseball games since 1985. That means I am celebrating my 25th consecutive season at the ballpark this summer. I have missed out on my hero's autographs because obnoxious kids were pushed in front of me and I was pulled out of the way. They sold those signatures on eBay, I would have cherished mine. I snagged a fly ball during batting practice one summer and gave it to my camper because he was a huge fan and I knew it would mean everything to him. He sold it to another camper and had no idea why I was disappointed. "It was mine, I deserved it, you just caught it for me"

However, I believe in Karma. I believe that one day, I am going to catch a Matt Diaz Home Run ball because I have done my part for the benefit of future fans. If that means having to jockey for position to snag it and some kid misses out, I don't care. I earned the right to catch it because I've been to hundreds of games and I had to wait my turn. Kid beats me out for it? He earned it. However, a birth certificate is not a license to own everything your grubby behind desires.

I also think kids should have to wait for years to get a ball, just like the rest of us. Now if a player throws a kid a ball, lucky him. Kid deserves it. But just because they are young and spoiled doesn't mean we should all feel obligated to give them what they want, just because they want it.

I am willing to bet there are millions of fans who have rooted for their team for years and never got lucky enough to catch a ball. We still show up, it doesn't make us stop going, it doesn't make us like the team less and in fact, it means much more to long time fans who finally snag one.

Maybe if we stopped thinking everything should be given to the kids whenever they want it, they would become adults who wouldn't spend all day praying at the alter of their children.

But what do I know? Maybe I'm wrong. At least in someone else's eyes[/quote]

xpress34
01-30-2010, 09:43 PM
(Actually, I'm only 55, but to a snotnosed kid like that, I'm freakin' Methuselah.)

GW -

LMFAO!!! :D

BTW I'm making my plans for ST soon... maybe we can try and meet up if you're around when I'm in Phoenix/Tucson?

As far as the 'what about the kids' crap, I agree with others on here that I have been going to games for over 25 years and I've gotten exactly ONE foul ball and ONE HR ball (Eric Young Jr's 1st MLB HR Sept 8, 2009). Does that mean I owe any future Foul or HR balls to the kids near me - that aren't even MY offspring? HELL NO!

The 'elitist' and 'entitled' view that our country is coming in to really ticks me off.

I'm a Disabled Vet (no external signs that would tell you as much) who served my country, love my National Pastime and love to collect. Why should I be any less 'entitled' to a ball that comes my way (NOT talking about a player pointing to or directing a ball to someone specific) than some Jack@$$e$ little rug rat?

I made the mistake ONCE at BP (I've snagged a few foul balls at BP) of giving a kid a ball after I had snagged 2 or 3. Then I saw his dad come up to him with 5 or 6 balls he had snagged. And to make it worse, I found out his dad didn't snag them, he was begging guys in the stands for 'just one ball' for his kid and the kid had gotten 2 or 3 other balls from other guys by begging for them, so father and son had almost 10 balls and did NONE of the work to retrieve them!

So my policy now is this: the ball is in my glove/hand, the ball is MINE! Don't even think about begging for it.

It just like the beggars on the street corners - having worked in downtown Denver doing Loss Prevention, I no longer feel compelled to give them anything after watching them use the money to buy drugs and booze. Hell, I went out of my way one day - on my motorcycle no less - to go buy a McDonald's meal for a guy with a sign that said something to the effect of 'Haven't eaten, need money for food' or something along those lines. When I got back with the food, the guys starts screaming at me that he doesn't want me to buy him food, he wants the MONEY! I threw the entire thing - drink, burger and fries into the storm drain, told him off and got back on my bike. As I was driving away, I saw him laying in the gutter trying to grab the bag back out of the drain.

Darwinism people!!! Survival of the fittest!!! I am not about to fight anyone over a ball, but I'm done giving in and giving up what I catch.

Just my .02!

All the best -

Chris

Manram
01-30-2010, 11:19 PM
Wow are there a lot of these stories out there :rolleyes: Ther are already 52 posts

lehmsbobby
01-30-2010, 11:23 PM
okay, so im probably one of the youngest people on this forum at 16 years old, but even people give me crap about getting stuff that their kids should have. For example getting bats and having parents tell me that their kid was waiting ALL game for that bat when they definitely didn't even know it was broken... An example was second to last home game for the giants last year when i got down by the dugout. Suddenly a big guy pushed out of the way, saying his 2 4 year olds needed room to stand next to it, where they quickly got a bat. When I had tried to move back to my spot he said give to the kids for once.... That bat was probably sold on ebay directly after....

bigtruck260
01-30-2010, 11:46 PM
You guys are also right about kids in general being whiny and obnoxiuous, but I blame that on the parents. My take is that if I can be a gentleman (especially in front of my own kids) and do something totally out of the ordinary (like being a nice guy), MAYBE it will have an impact.

I know where you guys are coming from, but kids behave based on what they see. Most of the time, the parents are the ones encouraging them to be pests - and complain...and grow up to be self-entitled d-bags.

I think I might have a nice-guy complex. I'm not a prefect person, but I do hold the door for ladies (even when they don't say 'thanks'), I only complain about a meal at a restaurant AFTER I've eaten and had time to determine who was at fault (cook, server)...and I don't smoke in places where there are kids present and smoking is allowed (Zoo, etc.)

...and I have given kids (not my own) baseballs twice at baseball games.
Just letting you guys know why I said what I said. I understand your point of view 100%.

tmpjets
01-31-2010, 02:22 AM
And by the way "tmpjets".When i said "you" in the example i was using in my post.I sure hope that's not what you took as "personal".As it was ment "you" as almost everyone.If you read that as personal i am sorry about that.Again forum's are to discuss things and saying "stop" does not make sense to me.As it's a forum and discussions can go on and on.And disagreeing with someone is not a personal attack, what NYCRULESU did to me, now thats a personal attack on someone.I was just using the word "you" as a general word to describe people in general.

"Joba" I think we may have got off on the wrong foot. I clearly understand your opinion as I hope you do mine. I think we might have thought one thing and in the ways of typing it the tone mayhave sounded different. No, do I think now that you were being personal as I am sorry if I may have gone in to "defence mode" I am sorry for what others may say but please dont lump me with them; as I do myself come here for alittle R/R. I only look forward for more discussions on this site as it hasbeen a heavan for me to be a member here nor do I want to burn any bridges here. Thank you and I hope we can go on to agree to disagree like adults.

jobathenut
01-31-2010, 03:52 AM
TMPJETS-Thanks for the response,as i really appreciate it.I was just trying to get a understanding of the story you told so i could give my thoughts about it.And in doing it i might have come off like i was being personal and i was not.So i am glad you now understand i was'nt being personal with you as i am not that kind of person.And just because i am on a computer i don't treat people any different than if they were in front of me talking.I always try to treat people with the same respect i would want in return from them.I just like to get a full story before giving my thoughts and thats what i was doing.So i am sorry if i upset you.It's obvious that "nycrulesu" has a personal problem with me.And don't worry as i did'nt lump you in with them.And with this response from you,you have shown you are a classy person and i respect you for posting this to me.Yes,we might not agree (as we don't when it came to the story you told) but yes i do respect and understand you have the right to your opinion.And just because we don't agree on something does'nt mean we can't discuss it like you said in a adult manner.Like you said it's tough to read into what a person ment by what they typed.Anyways, all is good with me and you.And i also look forward to future discussions with you.:)
"Joba" I think we may have got off on the wrong foot. I clearly understand your opinion as I hope you do mine. I think we might have thought one thing and in the ways of typing it the tone mayhave sounded different. No, do I think now that you were being personal as I am sorry if I may have gone in to "defence mode" I am sorry for what others may say but please dont lump me with them; as I do myself come here for alittle R/R. I only look forward for more discussions on this site as it hasbeen a heavan for me to be a member here nor do I want to burn any bridges here. Thank you and I hope we can go on to agree to disagree like adults.

tmpjets
02-01-2010, 02:08 AM
TMPJETS-Thanks for the response,as i really appreciate it.I was just trying to get a understanding of the story you told so i could give my thoughts about it.And in doing it i might have come off like i was being personal and i was not.So i am glad you now understand i was'nt being personal with you as i am not that kind of person.And just because i am on a computer i don't treat people any different than if they were in front of me talking.I always try to treat people with the same respect i would want in return from them.I just like to get a full story before giving my thoughts and thats what i was doing.So i am sorry if i upset you.It's obvious that "nycrulesu" has a personal problem with me.And don't worry as i did'nt lump you in with them.And with this response from you,you have shown you are a classy person and i respect you for posting this to me.Yes,we might not agree (as we don't when it came to the story you told) but yes i do respect and understand you have the right to your opinion.And just because we don't agree on something does'nt mean we can't discuss it like you said in a adult manner.Like you said it's tough to read into what a person ment by what they typed.Anyways, all is good with me and you.And i also look forward to future discussions with you.:)

The same here, and Thanks!

jppopma
02-02-2010, 05:03 AM
I am one of the parents who will never allow my son to turn into one of the brats that I see at the games. At the same time, I will not let him turn into on of the grown up brats that are all acting the same way. Dave hit it on the head saying that kids will act the same way as they see other acting. How then can people complain for kids doing the same thing as them? I guess that's just how they learn it.

When I take my 3 year old to the games, we will usually sit in the front row right by the bullpen. My biggest pet peeve are those who come down from who knows where and try to push us out of the way (when we are standing in front of our seats). I have had parents give me the look of death when I have told them that they are in front of our seats. Should I or my son have to wait for them to get autographs when I pay the money to have the seats to help my son get autographs?

For those who complain that the kids are not into the game, there are more than just kids there not into the game. The girls looking for some sun, the drunks looking for overpriced beers, a nd the kids who are there to take in the whole atmosphere and whatever else they want. In other words, you can't discount what a kid is there...the same as they should not discount your love of the game or heartfelt joy of getting a ball.

Nothing against anybody doing their own thing, just my opinions and as long as it doesn't affect me or my son there....go for whatever u go for.