PDA

View Full Version : Wilson Ramos is Safe!



allstarsplus
11-12-2011, 12:18 PM
One of the players I have a marketing/memorabilia game used deal with is Wilson Ramos who was kidnapped on Wednesday from his family home in Venezuela. It has been a surreal 51+ hours with many ups and downs and mostly bad information passed. Last night Wilson was rescued like a scene out of a Hollywood movie. A 15 minute gun battle to free him in the mountains of Venezuela.

On Thursday, the networks were scurrying for information on Wilson and it seemed, the team, the players, etc. weren't giving formal interviews. So as they digged for a story I started to getting contacted by the Networks. I turned down all interview requests except to say in my written statement "A good person who does charity work, good to kids, and signs autographs for fans" I put together some of my YouTube videos and photos of him. I told one reporter, "I'm not looking for my 15 minutes of fame on the backside of a family's living hell"

Here is the piece Diane Sawyer did on ABC on Thursday with some of my video and photos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMLc_wPQGHU

On Thursday, my email and voicemail was also flooded with calls from dealers and wholesalers and collectors clamoring for Ramos product. The baseballs that have been on eBay for months and sold a few a month due to the fact that he is one of the best catcher's in the league, sold over a dozen on Thursday. Game used bats sold too. You could also see the fakes pop up on eBay by those trying to cash in. Now that he was found alive, all fairly quiet on sales today. Someone did Best Offer me 6 bats for $20 each.....

Quite the world we live in.

49656

frikativ54
11-12-2011, 12:32 PM
Glad he is safe now; what a scary story. Cool pic that you posted.

tigerdale
11-12-2011, 01:58 PM
very happy Wilson Ramos is back home safe!

lakeerie92
11-12-2011, 02:44 PM
I kept checking every hour for updates. I was glad to hear he was found. When I saw the bat listing I wanted to buy another one, but figured I would leave the supply for those who wanted to buy in on the drama.

allstarsplus
11-12-2011, 04:51 PM
Thanks to the many of you who were in contact with me over the past few days on your concerns on Wilson.

camarokids
11-12-2011, 05:47 PM
Quite the world we live in.


Quite they world they live in, in Venuzuela. Kidnappings are quite common there. Instead of working for a living, lets kidnap rich people and their families!

Posted on 11/9/11 by Kylehess....

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=47132

joelsabi
11-12-2011, 06:15 PM
Quite they world they live in, in Venuzuela. Kidnappings are quite common there. Instead of working for a living, lets kidnap rich people and their families!

Posted on 11/9/11 by Kylehess....

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=47132

an over-generalization. just like any country kidnappers are a small, small fraction of the population. most Venezuelan people work or try to work for an honest living. try traveling to most developing country a little and you will learn more about what a great country we live in, where poverty is assisted by government programs, slowing desperation for those who are unemployed and where organized crime is thwarted by the police.

MUSEOVEN
11-12-2011, 07:15 PM
Quite they world they live in, in Venuzuela. Kidnappings are quite common there. Instead of working for a living, lets kidnap rich people and their families!

Posted on 11/9/11 by Kylehess....

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=47132

Hello the Wilson Ramos case was very sad , i Live in Caracas venezuela and is true the kidnappings are common here, but i will never change my country for another country ;)

camarokids
11-12-2011, 09:32 PM
an over-generalization. just like any country kidnappers are a small, small fraction of the population. most Venezuelan people work or try to work for an honest living. try traveling to most developing country a little and you will learn more about what a great country we live in, where poverty is assisted by government programs, slowing desperation for those who are unemployed and where organized crime is thwarted by the police.

Not an over generalization at all. I am referring to the people doing the kidnapping that are not out working a real job.

camarokids
11-12-2011, 09:42 PM
try traveling to most developing country a little and you will learn more about what a great country we live in, where poverty is assisted by government programs, slowing desperation for those who are unemployed and where organized crime is thwarted by the police.


I don't need anyone to remind about America and how lucky we are to live where we do.

joelsabi
11-13-2011, 12:26 AM
Not an over generalization at all. I am referring to the people doing the kidnapping that are not out working a real job.


Andrew said "the world we live in" and then you said look at "the world they live in." Maybe I am the only one to read into “they” as the Venezuelan people. If that is the case, I apologize.

My last comment on this thread is that I am glad that Wilson Ramos has been freed and hope that similar situations do not occur in the future as Venezuela supplies many professional ballplayers and also hosts the winter league. Baseball, as the national pastime in Venezuela, brings much pride and joy to its people. Also, many Venezuelan professional ballplayers come from poverty and give back to their community where they were raised and I hope this tradition of charity will continue too.

camarokids
11-13-2011, 01:51 PM
Andrew said "the world we live in" and then you said look at "the world they live in." Maybe I am the only one to read into “they” as the Venezuelan people. If that is the case, I apologize.

My last comment on this thread is that I am glad that Wilson Ramos has been freed and hope that similar situations do not occur in the future as Venezuela supplies many professional ballplayers and also hosts the winter league. Baseball, as the national pastime in Venezuela, brings much pride and joy to its people. Also, many Venezuelan professional ballplayers come from poverty and give back to their community where they were raised and I hope this tradition of charity will continue too.

I am referring to Venezuela as that is where the kidnappings are a ugly part of reality there. I believe I heard it is also rampant in Mexico. Fortunately for us in the USA we do not need to worry of such things. That is why I said it is the world they live in and not us here in the USA.

allstarsplus
11-25-2011, 05:24 PM
I got a phone call a little while ago from Forum member HarleighB. He was in the Twins memorabilia store and saw that they had Wilson Ramos pre-Rookie jerseys when he played a few weeks for the Twins in 2010 and had read my story here about Wilson and decided to call me.

He was kind enough to get the jerseys for me and it was just another one of those random acts of kindness from Forum members.

On days where people are debating/arguing over bad people in the hobby, it is good to remember that we have so many good people.

Thanks again Harleigh!

SaintsGeaux
11-25-2011, 05:59 PM
Harleigh and Mr. Lang, great to read that and for sharing the experience.