When did it become a rule to give nearest kid caught foul ball?

[Janepod]

Are you serious? You might want to watch the video agaain. It looks indisputable that the little boy was crying about the ball.

Serious as a heart attack. I've taken a toddler to baseball games; any number of things can get them crying. I think it could just as easily be the noise or the commotion. Have you ever been to a major league baseball game? They get loud, and it's obviously way past this kid's bedtime. Nothing "indisputable" there for me.

 

[NaLisa]

I don't think the couple looks like they are rubbing it in. She shows it briefly to her husband and the people behind her--it is not like she waved it in front of the kid or anything.

It looks like the parents were trying to calm the kid down and not asking for anything. It also looks very possible that the boy was more scared by the jumping around his dad did trying to catch the ball while holding him than upset by not getting the ball (though either way I do not see why anyone should have to give him the ball).

I think the announcer was a jerk to say that and that the couple who had the ball did nothing wrong.

MTE!!! I watched the video expecting to dislike the woman with the ball, but I didn't see at all what some people saw, namely her rubbing it in. It looks to me like she was very excited, showing off the ball to her friends, and probably catching the scene on the video screen. I don't think she noticed the boy crying, and if she did, she probably thought he was upset because he was scared (and quite possibly he was). She looked to me like she was just caught up in her own excitement.

I agree that the announcer was a jerk to try to make the couple out to be jerks.

If it were me, and I thought the child next to me was crying because I caught the ball and he didn't, I'd probably give it to him. But I don't think an adult MUST give the ball away to a child or should be harrassed if they choose not to.

 

[Wadecool]

Serious as a heart attack. I've taken a toddler to baseball games; any number of things can get them crying. I think it could just as easily be the noise or the commotion. Have you ever been to a major league baseball game? They get loud, and it's obviously way past this kid's bedtime. Nothing "indisputable" there for me.

I agree tht many things can upset a toddler at a baseball game.

So your position is that it just as easily could have been something else other than the foul ball that had the little boy crying? Ok...

 

[Lots-o-Huggin]

We had this same thing happen at a Braves game a few years ago.

What you described is not the same thing as what happened last night. Pretty terrible though.

 

[Shutterbug]

Just watched video, IMO no the woman is not rubbing it in the face. She is enjoying the fact that she got the ball. What? No one is allowed to enjoy something for fear of making someone else feel bad.

This is why we have have problems with "entitled" children.

 

[Jennasis]

From the video it appears that the couple are not paying attention of any kind to the kid (and rightfully so). They caught the ball fair and square and were celebrating with themselves and possibly whoever was behind them. Certainly not gloating or rubbing it in the kid's face. The player clearly did not target anyone specifically for the ball. Too bad, so sad.

 

[JenM]

Forget baseball, rushing to judgement when you don't have all the facts is the REAL American pastime.

This.

I watched this game last night, and it was such a non-incident that I'd forgotten about it until I saw it on the news this afternoon.

All parties seemed be getting along fine, the parents weren't insisting that the kid get anything, they even seemed to be laughing over the fuss he was making. The couple that got the ball didn't seem to be intentionally making the kid cry, they were just celebrating getting the ball.

Personally, I would have given the ball to the kid, especially one as clearly upset as this one was - but they were more than entitled to keep it for whatever reason they chose. Yes, you can't always get what you want, but sometimes it's not such a terrible thing to do something nice if you have the opportunity to do it.

I think there's a difference between a kid having a tantrum and a kid crying because he's simply upset...going by the parents reactions, he seemed to be more upset than anything else. No big deal. Kids cry over silly things.

In the end, everyone got a ball and everyone appeared to be happy. It was no big deal.

 

[eliza61]

Watch this video and them give us your thoughts. To me the older couple was rubbing it in. It looks to me that you can see them looking at the little boy as they're taking pictures.

http://deadspin.com/5905250/worst-people-ever-catch-foul-ball-refuse-to-give-it-to-a-crying-child-are-vilified-by-michael-kay

don't see that.

Jeez, I would not give it back. I go to the Phillies games, got a 15 game pack. after almost every inning Hunter Pence, the right fielder throws the balls in the stands. some times kids catch it, most times an adults does. every time the "catchie" does a little jig/dance/celebration.

Kids cry... tough luck.
No I am not giving up the ball. I go to the game to have just as much fun as the kids (and yep, I'm a mom).

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Personally, I would have given the ball to the kid, especially one as clearly upset as this one was -

I agree with everything else you wrote except this. And actually, if this is the way YOU feel about what YOU would do, then certainly that's your choice and it's not up to me to DISAGREE with your choice. But the "especially one as clearly upset as this one" stood out to me. It just seems to me...and I'm not specifically talking about this young child, because it seems he was really too young to understand much of anything about what was going on...that what you're saying, and what some others are saying, is that the more upset a child is, the more awful it is to some (like that idiot announcer) NOT to give in and give him the ball. What about the kid who just looks disappointed vs the kid who gets all upset, maybe because the first kid has been taught and understands that he didn't catch the ball, someone else did, and "maybe next time it will be your turn"?

 

[kate_wdw]

If people were not allowed to celebrate/be happy in close proximity to an upset toddler, no fun would be had at Disney World.

If I were this couple, I would be ticked. The announcer should stick to his job rather than shaming paying customers.

 

[MM27]

I think we're all looking at the same videos. People have different interpretations. Even so, I think we all agree that it's important that the child learn not to act like those adults.

I'm stealing someone else comment:
Two emerging ideas from everyone's comments.
1) the kid in the video needs to learn that you can't get everything you want
2) even though its yours, fair and square, it doesnt hurt to be nice to those less fortunate....
two important lessons that, unfortunately, can't be taught simultaneously in this situation.

I would hardly call a kid at a professional baseball game, in pretty decent seats to be "less fortunate". The ball was caught and so belongs to the one that caught it. If they decided to give it to the kid, that's their decision, but the announcer was a jerk for making them out to be the bad guys. Was that the only kid in the section or was that the only one that had a temper tantrum because he didn't get something that he wanted? I think the kid is being a brat and shouldn't have been rewarded with a ball at all. Good for them for keeping their ball.

Again, this my opinion; the woman holding up the ball and posing for a picture is rubbing it in. Can't tell me they didn't know the little boy was crying.

Who cares that he's crying? She caught the ball and was having her picture taken with it at the stadium. She was happy that she caught the ball. I she supposed to hide it because the kid gets upset? Kid needs to learn that in a stadium that large, he's not going to get the ball that flies up in the stands just because he wants it.

I caught a puck one time at an NHL game during warmups. Player hit it off his stick, it hit the glass and deflected into the stands. It was coming fast and it hurt when I caught it. First puck I ever caught and I have been a hockey fan since I was in elementary school. A kid came over to me and said, "I never caught a puck" I responded, "Me neither, good luck to you" and I went about watching the rest of the warm-up.

Sometimes players will point out a kid in the stands and throw a puck over the glass. In that case, the puck is for the kid that was identified. If it just goes into the stands off a shot, it's fair game.

I hate the entitlement feelings people have.

 

[manning]

So much for the nice thing to do. Right OP?

 

[Aristocath]

There's no crying in baseball.

 

[NikitaZee]

The couple in the video has commented - here's a link to the article: http://www.wfaa.com/sports/Young-Ra...-viral-debate-over-tossed-ball-149090785.html

They said that they were so caught up in the moment that they weren't aware of the little boy crying next to them - and that if they had been, they would have given him the ball. They would also like an apology from Michael Kay.

 

[amg35]

I'm laughing, my boyfriend and I watched this today. He said people are going to feel so guilted now into giving the ball away!

I said if I catch one, I'll just run around the stadium trying to find a crying child to give it to.

 

[Alsobrook]

There is no rule that you give a kid a ball; however, if a player tosses a ball to a kid, the kid should get the ball.

 

[dbrn]

The couple got the ball fair and square. They shouldn't be villified for being happy about it and choosing celebrate and keep the ball. According to another article, they're getting married this weekend and have a family of seven. It was their first Ranger game together. Maybe it was important to them to have a memento from the game or take it home to one of their kids. I don't think the kid next to them deserved the ball just because he's a kid.

I think the only person who did anything wrong in this situation was the announcer, who was rude. I agree with the couple that they deserve an apology.

http://deadspin.com/5905580/texas-c...rges-hurtful-demands-apology-from-michael-kay

 

[Shutterbug]

This is what you need to do in deciding if you deserve a foul ball

http://deadspin.com/5905512

 

[tasha99]

I think it's awful that this even made the news. Everyone knows if you give into a temper tantrum, you're just feeding the bad behavior. Even if the couple had noticed, they should have kept the ball.

Kids cry. If they get rewarded for it, they become whiners and cry babies.

 

[CathrynRose]

There's no crying in baseball.

Hahaha!

I think it's awful that this even made the news. Everyone knows if you give into a temper tantrum, you're just feeding the bad behavior. Even if the couple had noticed, they should have kept the ball.

Kids cry. If they get rewarded for it, they become whiners and cry babies.

Agreed.

I am 38. My mother had season tickets to the Sox for yeaaaaars, and I never got a ball. I still haven't gotten a ball. I'll tell you right now, I'm keeping a ball that comes my way. Every year, I have less and less time to get that ball. That kid has years ahead of him.

And frankly, I'd even keep the ball from my (21 & 17 y/o) sons. So there.