Should Sports Fans Be More Considerate to Kids?

by SodaHead Sports Posted 2012/04/27 20:00:00

Related Topics: Sports, Michael Kay, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Baseball, MLB, Kid crying, couple catches foul ball, New York, Gold, The Game, Boy, Situation, parents, Egypt, Pictures

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424 votes
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	Yes	263 votes	62%
	No	161 votes	38%

Many of you may have already seen the infamous clip that was featured prominently on Gawker-owned site Deadspin.com. But if you haven't, here's the basic summary. A little boy and his parents are at the New York Yankees at Texas Rangers game the other night. A foul ball flies into the stands. His parents try to catch the ball for their young son. They're unsuccessful. However, the couple sitting next to them manages to snatch the ball. The couple next to the family are two grown adults. They cherish the foul ball like it's gold and the little boy starts crying uncontrollably.

Now think about what you would do in that situation as an adult who had just caught a foul ball at a game right next to a sad and disappointed little boy. Would you give him the foul ball? If you answered yes, you're a better person than the couple that instead posed with the ball and took pictures of it like they had a winning lottery ticket -- right in front of the boy and his family.

Luckily for all the parents watching out there, Yankees announcer Michael Kay got the cameramen to witness the rudeness by the couple and put them on blast for millions of people to see. It's one thing if the couple caught the ball. It's another to completely ignore the kid and act like a foul ball is gold. On top of that, they were caught making out, although we're not sure if that's an FCC violation.

All kidding aside, the Rangers gave the boy a ball after seeing what happened. Most importantly, the kid left the game with a smile on his face. As for his parents? They kept their cool. The couple? They just acted cool while everyone in America laughed at them.

+21

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..::localeye::.. 2012/04/27 20:26:44

No

+32
Teach them young...everyone wins, everything is theirs. BS...let the kid cry.
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TruBluT... to kobidob... 2012/04/30 00:43:30

It was their first Rangers game ever. That kid is only three. What is the likelihood he would even remember it the next day except for adults harping on the story? I've been to Rangers stadium and it is unbelieveably loud in that section. You can barely hear the person right next to you much less someone three people down as this child was.

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kobidob... to TruBluT... 2012/05/01 04:52:47 (edited)

Jesus is in that kid. We are shaped by life experiences. I would not want that kid to go out of that game sad. He went out glad because of sensitive loving hearts. That is good on both ends. Godly loving humans making a child Jesus laid his life down to save happy is a good thing. If nothing else God knows who made that kid smile.

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TruBluT... to kobidob... 2012/05/01 12:24:35

Jesus is also in that couple who didn't even know what the kid was crying about since the ball landed at the woman's feet. The ballpark is very loud. I've been there in those seats. You can't even hear the person next to you. You are stretching out a conjecture based on nothing but the observations of a New York radio jock that was suffering from sour grapes.

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kobidob... to TruBluT... 2012/05/15 01:03:29 (edited)

I did not consider that. I have never really been at a ball game. Now that I think about it it would be deafening to be at a game. I am still glad the kid got a ball at the end of the game. I can see the kid really wanted the ball that came so close. In the end things ironed themselves out.

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petean05 2012/04/29 23:30:02

No

+1
I would have given the kid the ball in the first place, that's just how I was raised. Are they bad people because they didn't give a kid a baseball, no. Are they good people because they didn't give a kid a baseball, no. They are just people.

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ellomotto 2012/04/29 23:28:16

No

+4
Sorry you can't get everything you want in life...best to learn that at a young age

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Lady Jules ♥♥ in Lestat I t... 2012/04/29 22:49:03

No

+1
But what was a bit heartless was the way the couple were taking pictures of themselves holding the ball.....I mean you caught the ball...fine....put the thing away and quite being a moron.

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AguardianF 2012/04/29 22:20:01

Yes

+2
I'm kind of both. I mean, yeah it was rude to do all they did in front of that kid; but the kid has to realize that not everything in the world is going to make you happy. I'm sure we've all learned that. So to kind of just GIVE the kid what he wants is really just setting him up for being hurt later when he wants something else but doesn't get that. Its a life lesson we're all supposed to learn. But nevertheless, it was wrong for that couple to do what they did to that boy and I'm glad the boy ended up leaving the game as happy as he had entered it (assuming he was happy at that time).

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DavidK 2012/04/29 22:12:34

Yes

+1
But hey, the old guy wanted to get some later! His young "date" will have to oblige now......

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TruBluT... to DavidK 2012/04/30 00:45:06

It was his fiancee jerk. They were celebrating their wedding the next week with family from out of town. This story was totally taken out of context leaving them targets because of the editorial conjecture of some talking head. Wow, just like Florida and so many other stories where the media gets it WRONG.

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DavidK to TruBluT... 2012/04/30 01:27:33

No excuses! They should have given him the ball. Now they are the Countries most hated couple!

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TruBluT... to DavidK 2012/04/30 22:39:37

Yeah. I bet you're a real charmer. I doubt seriously you behave in anything close to the manner you like to force others. And you, like the jerk on the radio from New York, have totally misrepresented this couple and their intentions. What an idiot you are.

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DavidK to TruBluT... 2012/05/02 02:37:16

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critter171 2012/04/29 22:08:35

Yes

+2
Accodring to the parents boy the couple offer to give it to them but they said no, that said when you were younger and went to the ball game you wanted to get a ball right who wouldn't? anyways i think the couple later looking at the child the women gave him an odd eye. I just think they could of notice someone reaching out for a ball?

Now onto something else i remember red sox catcher couldn't hold his bat to save his life and went into the stands the guy with the bat gave it to a kid.

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kobidob... to critter171 2012/04/29 23:47:29 (edited)

+2
I like the fact that the adult gave the kid the bat. That is the giving spirit of God. The kid given a ball before he left the game has a positive memory. That is good. I wish the parents of the boy did not refuse the offer.

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critter171 to kobidob... 2012/04/30 01:04:06

+1
As i stated before the family of the couple did offer the boy the ball parents refuse and they were talking to the child throw the game as well. so i think there reaction and attuide from the start was went a tad overblown. i am just sharing more facts.

Now i still think they should of gave it to him he was reaching out for it, and as for the bat thing goes yea i shared that for a reason

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smitty to critter171 2012/04/30 13:47:24

I think the planets and the stars aligned a certain way today.

I actually agree with you on something.

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critter171 to smitty 2012/05/06 17:53:43

its bound to happen

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smitty to critter171 2012/05/07 18:58:34 (edited)

Shocked me too...

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peacelovesmiles 2012/04/29 21:59:34

Yes

+1
Caching the ball instead was fine, but seriously- showing off in front of the poor kid?

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joe mauro 2012/04/29 20:59:26

No

+1
the ranger fans are among the nerdiest fans on the planet look at their faces.

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keliffa 2012/04/29 20:53:29

No

+4
So the parents should have given this keepsake to the kid to stop him from whining?

I wouldn't have.

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critter171 to keliffa 2012/04/29 22:10:45

+1
oh god you people are just way to selfish

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keliffa to critter171 2012/04/30 01:02:59

+1
And you people are just....whiny.

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critter171 to keliffa 2012/04/30 01:04:55

prove it? i answer a question and if you can't admit your selfish your missing the point of life.

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keliffa to critter171 2012/04/30 01:34:25

+2
Oh please. What if the couple had a kid at home that they were going to give the ball to? Screw their kid to stop the other one from crying? Or should they just automatically give the ball to some random kid in the crowd in order to NOT be selfish?

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smitty to keliffa 2012/04/30 13:48:33

+1
They do have kids at home. I do as well. I can imagine the tears if I came home without it.

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critter171 to keliffa 2012/05/06 17:55:47

why didn't they bring them? anyways we don't know but the way the faulted the ball and took picture of it does not tell me they got kids yet, second if i was up in teh stands in no kids around i wuold walk down to give to the nearest kid possible but i guess that just makes me a better person. Hell i could of got an aturograph from some red sox players i never bother them for one. we had to wait for the media to leave so we could leave. i just stay in the hall way

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keliffa to critter171 2012/05/06 18:25:11 (edited)

No, it does not make you a better person but it sure makes you someone willing to pat yourself on the back for thinking you are a better person. And who knows why the kids weren't there but you are sure just willing to jump to the conclusion that they are just selfish, evil people. If you won the lottery, would you just hand the ticket over to a random kid? What if they were going to have kids and this was something they wanted to give to the kid? It was selfish not to hand it off to a stranger instead of their baby? Give me a friggin break.

Life is full of ups and downs and this was an important keepsake. The kid went for it and missed. Oh well. Life is kinda like that. Crying does not get you everything.

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critter171 to keliffa 2012/05/07 18:12:52

yes actually it does make you a better person thinking of other people than yourself.

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keliffa to critter171 2012/05/07 18:23:00

Your only thinking about yourself. How great of a person you are because you say you would hand over an important keepsake to a spoiled kid who would forget about it 10 minutes later.

Don't kid yourself.

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Rock 2012/04/29 19:50:34 (edited)

No

+5
Well, yes you should be more considerate of kids. That however doesn't mean giving the kid a baseball, candy, or anything else they choose to cry about. Then put the shoe on the other foot and you're the guy that got the ball. Maybe he went to games since he was a little kid himself. Maybe he always wanted a baseball and never got one. Then 50 years down the road he finally gets his shot. The kid can wait, instant gradification be damned. Learning lifes lessons early can payoff. What this kid learned was, "If I throw a big enough fit somebody will give me what I want."

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critter171 to Rock 2012/04/29 22:11:30
Z-Wolf 2012/04/29 19:19:13

Yes

+2
A majority of them were fans as kids. They should understand how it feels.

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««Gingey, the Master Debate... 2012/04/29 18:18:40

Yes

+2
That actually happened when I was at an Astros game with my little bro. He caught a foul ball and gave it to a 4/5 year old little boy, and my brother was only 12 at the time. So a 12 year old boy had more maturity than these selfish sacks of crap.

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Gimmedap 2012/04/29 18:16:19

No

+4
Let the kid cry. My dads been going to the redsox games since he was 5. He's 76 now. He's never caught a ball. If he does, he'd probably give it to a kid sitting by him, but I wish he wouldn't.

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Sasquatch 2012/04/29 17:50:10

Yes

+2
Why is there never an Undecided option anymore?

Seriously, the couple that caught the ball didn't break any rules by keeping it for themselves. And the parents of the child, and the media and sports team, shouldn't have rewarded the kid's little 'tantrum' with another ball. However, the couple that caught the first ball were being really rude by flaunting it in front of a hysterical child who wanted it. The least they could've done is been a little more gracious about the whole thing.

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critter171 to Sasquatch 2012/04/29 22:13:41

+1
no one said a rule was borken though, the fact is you have a child around and the child is going to want the ball not all some but not all. glad the kid kept the ball instead of throwing it back lol. the meida didn't award him fro anyhting he a toddler there cry that normal for there age and rangers are the ones who gave it to him so you going to bitch about something bitch to rangers.

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Sasquatch to critter171 2012/04/30 22:39:34

I never said that anyone said they broke a rule. I said that they /did not/ break any rule by keeping the ball, because everyone seems to be acting like they did. They were not obligated to give the child the ball, and I'm honestly glad they didn't.

And the fact that the child wants a ball doesn't excuse his behavior. He needs to learn that he can't get one all the time, and by not politely refusing the ball the Rangers gave him, his parents sent the message that he can get what he wants by having a fit.

The media indirectly 'rewarded' the kid by bringing so much attention to this. I mean, I highly doubt that the Rangers would've given the kid a ball if the media at the game hadn't made such a huge stink about his little temper tantrum.

Besides, being three years old doesn't mean he gets a free pass to act however he wants. I learned when I was three that it's completely and totally unacceptable behavior to act like that child did in public. If I had a problem with something and I wanted to pitch a fit about it, I would wait until I got home, and do so in the privacy of my room, where no one outside my family could hear me acting like that.

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critter171 to Sasquatch 2012/05/06 17:57:58

the way it was shown look like they were teasing the child, that why i wanted to share the other side of the parents of the child side. second its in unwritten rule like taking a 2nd basemen out in baseball its a simliar rule to that. he three he learning i don't think you guys understand at that age still. stop trying to act like he 6-7 years old

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