It Used To Be A Game

[JethroTull]

Well, the Yankee caravan has finally pulled out of town, and now it's on to the boring business of playing out the rest of the schedule. Funny business, baseball. There is a beautiful painting/still photo of the Huntington Avenue Fairgrounds deep inside Fenway Park. It depicts the 1903 World Series featuring our own beloved Red Sox. Ropes pass as outfield fencing, and fans stand 20 and 30 deep along the outfield edges. A closer look reveals gentlemen dressed nattily in suit, tie, and the ever present chapeau. There are no women in the crowd, as they were not allowed. But despite the appearance of all things proper, let an opposing outfielder drift into the scrum and all bets are off. Forget coming out of the crowd with the ball. The fortunate fielder still had his teeth intact.

 

Fast forward to last night at the Fens, where the women are plentiful and the ropes have long since been replaced with fences. But that's not all that has changed in 100 years. Now it seems, the home field edge has gone the way of the rope. In this backward politically correct world, it is now deemed improper to you know, act like a fan. A relatively innocent play along the right field fence involving Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield and a ....gasp !.... drunken fan is turning into a major hissy fit amongst the fools rushing forward to display the "right amount" of proper etiquette.

 

Now before you fall off your highchairs, a little explaination is in order. Baseball is a game of manliness disguised as sport, with a strong dose of intimidation thrown into the mix. The game was built on sharpened spikes, bulletballs to the brain, and hard tags that served to deter the runner from easy access to the bag. My, how far the game has fallen. When you go on the road, especially to the den of your fiercest rival, it is SUPPOSED to be difficult. There is an unwritten law that players own the field, and the fans rule the stands. Where the two intersect, anything goes. At least it used to be that way, before the Kumbaya Crowd took over.

 

So this big star took a poke in the chops while angling for the ball. This is news? Turn the scenario around for a moment. High pop down the line, Sox down a run, Sheffield sees a fan reaching up with a glove, and he stiffarms said fan in the gut, clearing the way for the would be catch that ends the game.(I'm changing the scenario for a point). Does anyone cry for the fan? The ball is the object, and whatever it takes to get the ball is fair game.

 

And don't hand me the Monica Seles bent, where the fan MIGHT have had a knife, and he MIGHT have been trying to harm the player. You MIGHT get killed walking back to your car after a night game. There won't likely be a Captain ARod there to pull you out of harm's way. I'm also not advocating the chair tossing nonsense we saw last year. What I am saying, is that baseball is a tough battle of wits where opponents scan the field of play looking for an edge. Stealing signs, sliding in hard, brushing back the batter; all these things are purposeful intimidation tactics. The fan lucky enough to score seats in the first row also has a job to do; deny the opponent the ball. To be clear, I'm not advocating unchecked mayhem, but an opponent should at the very least have to think twice before venturing into the masses.

 

You think Gary is the first player to have a beer or a knuckle sandwich tossed his way? During a Sox/Yanks series I attended in the spring of '76, Mickey Rivers was dodging CHERRY BOMBS in center field. They did stop the game..........long enough to send a batting helmet out to Mick. So Gary caught a fist in the face. He still made the play, didn't he? I say that fan didn't swing hard enough ! Go ahead with your crocodile tears. Joe Torre had his skirt on with his preposterous inferences after the game.

 

You want to wipe out the drunken lout at ball games? O.K. You want fans in the front row serving tea and crumpets? Fine. I understand this rant flies in the face of the P.C. crowd. But the game owes its roots to men getting together for some brews and some brawlin'. And it says here that each step taken to extinguish the roots of the game is one step closer to Major League Puffball, where steals are outlawed, and pitching inside brings a year's suspension. What's next? A runner charging the plate gets a free slide if he says excuse me? A foul pop atop the opponent's dugout merits a blowup pillowbed so the fielder doesn't hurt himself?

 

The game is at an all time high, revenue wise. The players make more in one season than the stiff in the stands will haul down working 30 years. They are so regaled, it seems they too have forgotten the origins of the game. Go ahead and denounce the fool who might or might not have actually swung at Gary Sheffield. Display the "appropriate" amount of contempt for such loutish behavior. Decry men behaving badly at every turn. And pardon me for not joining you in the ladies section at Filene's.

[Sizzlin22]

Hmmmmm don't exactly know how to reply to that one........ so you're saying it's ok for that fan to take a swing at sheff? Are you a sox fan? Im not saying this means you aren't im just curious.

[RedSoxRooter]

Good post. I'd still love to buy that guy in the stands a beer.

 

But back to the thread. I agree with almost everything you say, but there are the obvious problems. First, I'd have LOVED to see that pussy Sheffield go into the stands. He'd be torn to pieces. I don’t like him and he is a member of the enemy. But in today's world there would be lawsuits and legal action. People would be shouting out about how it hurts the children. Blah blah blah.

 

Stuff like last night doesn't really happen too often. I almost wish it did sometimes, just to let these dumbass 12 million dollar athletes realize they are not gods. And a good knuckle sandwich sometimes drives that point home.

 

And anyone who says they "respect" Sheffield more now because he “showed restraint” (only taking one punch at the guy and being held up on his second attempt) is a pussy.

[yeszir]

The game went to hell when they started allowing women to watch.

 

Although I do feel like the entire thing is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overblown (take a peek at the New York tabloids), I don't think fans have the right to interfere with a player or even a ball. Your point was valid, that people these days would have a hissy fit over the way the game was played 100 or even 50 years ago, but it's been this way for a while. In a time where every single pitch has a corporate sponsor and we have rap music blaring in between batters, we're lucky if this is all we have to deal with. How long will it be before some ******* scaredipants wants all seats at least 20 feet away from the field?

 

Look at the pictures from FHM that were posted in the sheff thread and tell me if he showed restraint. Had it been one guy, alone in an alley, Sheff would have attempted to beat the ever loving s*** out of him. He didn't want to go Artest style, getting tens of fans involved in something that would only lead to suspensions and lawsuits.

[CrespoBlows]

If Sheff went into the stands, there would be about 100 Red Sox fans, beating the hell out of him. That's what restrained him.

[schillingouttheks]

Exactly, he didn't restrain himself...he wanted to clock the guy...but he actually thought that he could get the s*** beaten out of him if he went into the stands. You don't just run into the stands and attack a fan in Boston. You will get knocked the f*** out.

[sarasoxfan]

I guess I was watching some other game. He bitch slapped the guy completed the play then that security popped in, and then the bullpen...

 

Restraint?

He got right in the fans' face, then people got between them.

 

The restraint angle is spin, like WMD's its made up.

I realize this much to do about nothing , but sheff is an *******.

I gotta say that fan didnt back down when sheffy got in his face.

 

granted you shouldnt interefere witht he game but I think this nothing.

[YANKEESRULE]

First of all the first post as some good points. But the whole idea of fans having a job to do is ludicrous. They warn you before the game starts not to interfere while the ball is in play. Shefffeild didn't show constraint because they were Boston fans. Because more than likely no one would have done a goddamn thing to sheff if he went into the stands. He showed constraint because he didn'twantanother Pacers-Pistons. He was not a pussy, hewas the better man for not going after him.

[stocker323]

First of all the first post as some good points. But the whole idea of fans having a job to do is ludicrous. They warn you before the game starts not to interfere while the ball is in play. Shefffeild didn't show constraint because they were Boston fans. Because more than likely no one would have done a goddamn thing to sheff if he went into the stands. He showed constraint because he didn'twantanother Pacers-Pistons. He was not a pussy, hewas the better man for not going after him.

I agree with the Yanks fan on this topic, as Millar and Nixon said, they would have had the same reaction if they were placed in that situation. Yes I think Sheffield overreacted a little bit because he wasn't touched too hard, but when someone makes an attempt to punch you and is talking s*** to you, I think that only a little shove by Sheffield and not him going into the stands which is what I expected, is very good restraint.

[Sizzlin22]

I realize this much to do about nothing

To do? adu'? ehhh thats just me being knit picky..... anyyyy wayyys Sheff showed restraint the peopleout therewould have done nothing had he gone out there you're kidding yourself if you think they would, either that or you're just digging for reasons why Sheff was wrong.. If I'm in that position I would beat that fans ass Sheff showed me amazing restraint.

[RedSoxRooter]

To do? adu'? ehhh thats just me being knit picky..... anyyyy wayyys Sheff showed restraint the peopleout therewould have done nothing had he gone out there you're kidding yourself if you think they would, either that or you're just digging for reasons why Sheff was wrong.. If I'm in that position I would beat that fans ass Sheff showed me amazing restraint.

What "restraint"???? He got hit, got the ball and THEN WENT AFTER THE FAN. Then he thought enough to throw the ball in. After he did that, HE WENT AFTER THE FAN AGAIN. It was his mates that held him back. I don't get this whole composure ******** you guys are talking about. Sheff is going to be suspended for what he did.

[schillingouttheks]

he only shoved the fan, he didn't punch him...the restraint i saw is if you watch him after he threw the ball in, sheff was ready to throw a roundhouse punch and clock the guy, but u can see him holding it back, then just keep talking.

[stocker323]

he only shoved the fan, he didn't punch him...the restraint i saw is if you watch him after he threw the ball in, sheff was ready to throw a roundhouse punch and clock the guy, but u can see him holding it back, then just keep talking.

Exactly, and that is before all the security held him back. Obviously the best situation would of been to just go on with the game, but if you're Sheffield and you felt like someone gave you a cheapshot, you go after him. The restraint by Sheffield, resulted in a much more subdued scene, than it could have been, as it could have been Pacers-Pistons had he decided to actually punch the guy and go into the stands.

[Manny24]

I agree exactly with what redsox rooter said... legally the guy prolly shouldnt have swung at sheff... but sheff did not show restraint the only thing holding him back was the 36,000 redsox fans that would be on him in a blink of an eye if he were to go in the stands...

[schillingouttheks]

Haha, well there's one dead Sheffield and 36,000 future inmates. Whatever, it's over and whatever happens from here on out happens...there's no more debating. I think we've heard all sides.

[Sizzlin22]

No wayyyy he SHOVED the fan he easily could have goneout and pummelled the crap out of that guy he showed restraint.

[Varitek33]

If Sheff went into the stands, there would be about 100 Red Sox fans, beating the hell out of him. That's what restrained him.

 

LOL.

[Sizzlin22]

If Sheff went into the stands, there would be about 100 Red Sox fans, beating the hell out of him. That's what restrained him.

Thats absoloute ******** not one fan would touch him hell jsut look at what ahppened as soon as he even started approaching the guy people got away from him.