Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

[Sangy 35]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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)

[eisenreich8]

Re: Obnoxious kid/parent stories, MLB edition

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

Mr. Bartman,

Welcome to the forum!