# Pitting the people who are pitting the Rangers fan **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 26, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049 "2012-04-26T19:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/81 "2012-04-27T19:31:00Z")
[Their side of the story](http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/rangers-couple-tells-side-story-wants-apology-michael-033155855.html): > [@](#): > > “My fiancee Shannon and I were honestly unaware of the situation of the little boy sitting next to us last night since we were so caught up in the excited and moment of being at our first Ranger’s baseball game together,” he wrote in a statement. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/82 "2012-04-27T19:33:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > My grandfather was a baseball fan, too. If he had a ball from a game and told me the story of how he caught it, I’d have listened with rapt attention. I was sittin’ there, the sun was shining, my honey was on my arm… Crack! the ball is sailing majestically in my direction, and the first baseman skillfully settles under the ball and waits for it to drop in his glove. Foul Pop. Then, and this is the REALLY exciting part, he turned and tossed the ball in our general direction… it came RIGHT to me. You can’t imagine the thrill of catching a gently thrown ball that just made it past the outstretched arm of a toddler. Then, while the tyke was bawling over his missed chance at glory, I took some pictures of the ball with my phone. Wanna see 'em? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/83 "2012-04-27T19:33:44Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Who gives a _shit_? You do apparantly. Enough to come into the thread and post a comment. > [@kayaker](#): > > Personally, I like kids. Which is why I ducked outa the way and let the lil ones have a chance at that broken bat that flew into the seats. Aaaaaawwwwww! Aren’t you a sweetheart. We need more kind hearted people in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/84 "2012-04-27T19:34:44Z")
I suppose I’ve identified my disconnect with this whole deal. A real baseball … that was in a real Major League Game … that a real Major League player touched? Yeah, couldn’t give less of a shit about it. I just don’t get that attached to chachkis. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/85 "2012-04-27T19:42:22Z")
> [@prodicus](#): > > I’m not sure how I feel about this issue. I will wait until we hear from curlcoat before deciding. Speaking of children! If I were **curlcoat** it would delight me to no end to know the way I live in the heads of some of you. She’s not even in this thread and some of you are bursting with thoughts of her. Go pull her pigtail, maybe you’ll get some attention. And no, I generally don’t agree with her antics but some of you guys are worse than she is because every time she pulls your chains you never fail to disappoint. Great stuff. > [@shiftless](#): > > I saw that video on the news this morning. First I thought, why is that hot chick with the old dude? Then I thought, why is this news? Then I thought, those two people just had their nice day at the park \*\*ruined by a kid balling \*\*about not getting what he wants. When a child cries, are we all supposed to empty our pockets in case he might want something we have? Yikes, if there’s a kid fucking in the stands (especially to get what he wants!) you should report that to security! ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/86 "2012-04-27T19:51:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Personally, I like kids. Which is why I ducked outa the way and let the lil ones have a chance at that broken bat that flew into the seats. Thread winner right there. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/87 "2012-04-27T20:05:30Z")
The guy is a dick. I’m with Kayaker, Jack Batty and Fear Itself. I’ll try to catch it, that’s part of the fun. But if some little kid wants it, it’s his. It’s just a fvcking ball. What am I gonna do with it anyway? Put it on a shelf? Toss it in a box and forget it? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/88 "2012-04-27T20:06:41Z")
“There’s no crying in baseball.” ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/89 "2012-04-27T20:10:23Z")
Minor nitpick: A [MLB baseball](http://www.americansportscollectibles.com/majorleaguebaseballs.html) is $15.50 (or $143.50 per dozen), not the $3 number that someone pulled out of their ass earlier in the thread. And that’s for one that hasn’t been mudded up and used in a Major League game. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/90 "2012-04-27T20:48:51Z")
I would love to get a foul ball directly off of the bat, or a home run ball. If I ever do, I’m not giving it to a kid, even if he holds his breath until he dies. But a ball soft-tossed into the stands by a player or coach? That’s different. It’s artificial. It’s lame. I’d be embarrassed to have one. It’s like one of those fisherman dude ranches where they practically hang the fish on your hook. Kid wants one of those, he can have it. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/91 "2012-04-27T21:03:32Z")
Actually, I believe that baseballs being thrown into the stands has had a major influence on the world. If I recall the story of Gautama Buddha he too was denied a baseball as a youngster and it stayed with him his whole life. It ate him up inside for much of his life, and he was convinced that if he had gotten that baseball he would not be in misery. But then suddenly one day, while sitting under a Bodhi Tree he realized that it was in fact his longing for the baseball that caused him suffering and not the actual ball itself. He then realized that it didn’t matter because this life was temporary and some other stuff and BOOM, Buddhism. That’s how I heard it, Wikipedia has a different story, but can you really trust Wikipedia to be accurate. Anyway, the moral of the story is that this kid will almost certainly grow up to invent a religion, and not a cult one, but you know, one of the real ones… ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/92 "2012-04-27T21:34:06Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I am a baseball fan. I’m just not a crazy person. At least one of these two statements is clearly incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/93 "2012-04-27T21:46:23Z")
I had a college prof once. I somehow heard he was really into baseball trivia. And at the time I found it sorta interesting (today I think its a sign of mental problems…). So, one time I said something like (in a nice way) " I heard you are really into baseball trivia…" hoping to have short friendly exchange. He replied in tone you’d expect if I had called his mother the Whore of Babylon …“Its not trivia”. I later found out he was an ass in a few other ways. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/94 "2012-04-27T21:52:04Z")
Damn, Americans aren’t just idiots; they’re assholes too. Good thing I’m a meta-American. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/95 "2012-04-27T22:07:42Z")
[Kid? What kid? We never saw any kid.](http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/27/rangers-fans-say-they-never-saw-toddler-want-apology/) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/96 "2012-04-27T22:09:16Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > (disclaimer: i wouldn’t actually hit the kid. but i totally would steal his ball.) Gotta admit, that made me laugh. I have been to LOT of ball games. Going to see the Dodgers on Sunday. If a foul ball was hit to my general area, I will try to catch it. But I couldn’t imagine keeping it. I have friends who have caught foul balls or balls thrown in the stands by players. Occasionally they will show them to me. I say to myself ‘Who cares?’. I would throw to a kid. Now if the ball held a special significance to the game or a player’s career… ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/97 "2012-04-27T22:23:39Z")
> [@SticksAndString](#): > > We use that phrase sometimes too. It’s always been my opinion that just because he’s a singleton (no siblings) does NOT mean he’s allowed to act like a spoiled little brat. BECAUSE he’s a singleton, we have had to work extra hard on concepts like sharing and not getting your way ALL THE DAMN TIME. We have to remind him sometimes that he’s not the only kid in the world and that sharing his (whatever) with his cousin/friend/that cute girl down the street for a little while won’t kill him. > > I’ve also never subscribed to the notion that just because Slim is a special needs kiddo that he should get to do whatever the hell he wants BECAUSE he’s not like everybody else. I’ve run into those parents too and I always end up thinking “You’re not doing your kid ANY favors by adopting that attitude.”. Thinking back I remember the first time I got the label (we were out at a show. I would have been about 4). Both parents and my older brother laughing and calling me a Want Whiney. It was horrible 🙂 I don’t remember it happening much afterwards, so I guess I learned to give it a rest pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/98 "2012-04-27T23:24:21Z")
Yeah, a lot of times in hockey you’ll see players tossing pucks into the stands, and often times they’ll specifically direct them at someone. Generally you’re seen as an asshole in this case if you take one from a little kid, but that’s because they’re usually directed towards them. It’s not unusual to get a puck from a player. And players sometimes hand their sticks off to people after the game is over. As for what you’d do with the ball, well, I’m not a baseball fan, but I’d probably put it on my shelf as a souvenoir – like I’d do with anything else. Don’t you people have shelfs in your house with various decorations, or whatever, of things you like, or souvenoirs of places you’ve been to? A concert, a vacation, or whatever? I’ve never been able to afford to go to a game, so if a player handed me a stick or a puck, no, I’m not giving it away. I’ll keep it and put it on a shelf, as something to remember a really cool experience. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I suppose I’ve identified my disconnect with this whole deal. > > A real baseball … that was in a real Major League Game … that a real Major League player touched? Yeah, couldn’t give less of a shit about it. > > I just don’t get that attached to chachkis. Well good for you. Other people feel different. I suppose that makes you special. Piss off. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/99 "2012-04-27T23:29:40Z")
I am a special snowflake. Have fun dusting your snow-globe collection. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049/100 "2012-04-27T23:30:53Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I am a special snowflake. > > Have fun dusting your snow-globe collection. I WILL, thank you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-people-who-are-pitting-the-rangers-fan/620049.md?page=6)