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Thread: Hell is Other People...
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10-10-2013, 01:22 AM #1
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Hell is Other People...
...as the philosopher wrote.
The Arizona Fall League started up last night - something I look forward to immensely every year - and tonight's game was just about ruined for me by some of my fellow attendees. My attitude sucks pretty badly at the moment, and I feel like venting.
People who bring their kids to the ballpark and then ignore where they are and what they're doing should be slapped and neutered, though unfortunately the latter penalty isn't retroactive.
Tonight there were roughly a dozen boys, aged probably nine to twelve, running around and screaming in my section, alternately playing some "tag"-like game and whining loudly about how they hadn't found, chased down or been given enough foul balls. Every so often, they would apparently run out of steam and sit down for a few minutes and play with their smart phones (there's a classic misnomer for you). The only time any one of them appeared actually to be watching any part of the game is when a foul ball was hit to any part of the stadium, whereupon they would scream and charge en masse in that direction; unfortunately, they always came back.
A couple of times, one or two of them would wander over and stand between me and the game, and I would semi-politely ask them to move, and they would comply while looking at me like I'd just grown a ssecond and third head. One was banging on the rail right behind my head with a baseball and I turned around and simply told him, "Knock it off", and he looked as though no one had ever spoken to him like that in his life.
Unfortunately, there is virtually no League presence at these games - nothing one could describe as an usher, let alone security, and so no one to compain to. It's gotten to the point where I almost dread the night games, now, and think that I just need to take off from work and attend more day games, while the little darlings are in school.Jeff
godwulf1@cox.net
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10-10-2013, 02:02 AM #2
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10-10-2013, 07:36 AM #3
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Re: Hell is Other People...
You know what's easier than being an attentive parent? NOT being an attentive parent. Personally, I always make sure that my kids aren't "those kids" that ruin the experiences of others, whether they are at a park, a restaurant, etc. Couth and the ability to empathize are dying concepts, I'm afraid.
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10-10-2013, 01:42 PM #4
Re: Hell is Other People...
I noticed an annoying trend at games this season. Adults shouting down anyone who catches a foul ball to "give it to a kid!"
I had a discussion with the guy behind me at a game, who caught a ball and was relentlessly shouted at until he gave the ball up to a kid. Literally for like an inning, just booing and shouting (one really obnoxious woman was egging everyone else one)... He didn't take it from a kid or knock a kid over to get it, he just happened to catch it.
The guy was telling me it was the first ball he ever caught at a game but wasn't worth keeping for that pressure and he gave it to a kid in the next row to shut everyone up. I understand that most of the ballpark attendees at this point are casual fans and only there to make memories for their kids, but do they need to impose that on everyone in attendance?
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10-11-2013, 05:16 AM #5
Re: Hell is Other People...
metsbats86@aol.com
Always looking for 1973,1986,1988,1999,2000,2006 game used Mets post season and Bobby M. Jones and Ed Hearn NY Mets game used bats.
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10-11-2013, 10:24 AM #6
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Re: Hell is Other People...
Great post, and I couldn't agree more. I have personally witnessed kids getting foul ball after foul ball, after begging balls from the players before the game, and having balls tossed to them over the top of the dugout during the game, running to where an adult has fielded or chased down a foul ball and almost demanding to have it given to them. And certain members of the crowd, as you say, yelling for the adult to comply. I've also noted the parents - usually the fathers - of those same kids are among the ones shouting the loudest for their kids to be given the baseballs.
I believe the next person who shouts at me to give up the baseball - he and I are going to have a conversation. With age, I find that I'm starting to lose a lot of my diplomatic skills.Jeff
godwulf1@cox.net
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10-11-2013, 05:04 PM #7
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Re: Hell is Other People...
Children have developed the disease of obnoxious entitlement because we live in a "Cult of the Child" Kids get everything, they never lose in sports, never have to deal with disappointment and they therefore become spoiled and unappreciative.
Let me throw a clue out to the parents of these precious snowflakes. Failure, losing and mistakes THEN getting off your butt and succeeding are what make those successes not only worthwhile but ingrain a sense of accomplishment and personal pride. It's time for children to get much less and earn much more.
(I'm a teacher, does it show?)
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10-11-2013, 07:47 PM #8
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10-11-2013, 10:03 PM #9
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Re: Hell is Other People...
I caught a ball at a Spring Training game and a kid ran over and asked me for it, with his parents eyeing me. I told him I was taking the ball home to MY OWN kids, who didn't get to stay up late enough to go to the game (while looking at the parents). That seemed to shut them down.
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10-11-2013, 10:29 PM #10
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Re: Hell is Other People...
My response to these bossy louts during a couple of BPs this past season:
"Hey! You want the kid to have a ball? Then YOU catch one and give it to him!"
Dave Miedema