Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

[sox83cubs84]

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]

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]

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]

That story seems about right for the typical modern obnoxious father and son combo.

[flota89]

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

[rwoodsbats]

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]

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/bas...s_whitesox_ap/

I'll bet those are some fun family reunions.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[stretch]

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.

[legaleagle92481]

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]

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.