McClouth vs. Guy in the 1st Row: A Fan ruins an out.

[flashjordnk]

Take out the front row of seats and place a low plexi barrier in front of the second row (now front row) seats to prevent fans from reaching over it. Problem solved.

Also, those front row seats in Section 62 seats almost certainly belong to a season ticket holder. So unless the owner gave them to someone else for the Sunday night game, this guy was likely not what I would call a "casual fan" and should have known better.

That guy is not a regular season ticket holder. I've not seen him at the games before. I've seen others that were there before though.

A ton of seats in those sections get sold by season ticket holders to opposing fans and other people. Always lots of opposing fans. And it's section 64, just for clarification.

[scotty37]

We sat in seats that may have been exactly those in an April game earlier this season. I had my wife, 11 year old and 7 year old son with me. I told them when we sat down that if a ball game in our section in the air, dont even try to get catch unless it was a liner. A ball ended up coming at us very similar to that one and shockingly they all listened to me. Nate didnt get to that one and the ball kicked back on the field, and we ended up with the ball anyway. I know its a different world seeing that ball hundreds of feet in the air heading your way, but even my kids (and we all know how bad kids want a foul ball) were able to show some constraint of interfering because they were aware of where they were. Guy should have spent less time preparing his dinner plans and more time preparing himself for being so close to a possible live ball.

[Tony-OH]

If I was in the front row, or close to it, I would make a habit of yelling something like "Give him space!" loud enough for fans and hopefully the ballplayer to hear. Make others aware, help the O's. On the other hand, if the opposing team is in the field, by all means stand on your seat and grab that sucker!

Absolutely. I'm not going to reach onto the field, but I'd do everything in my power to make sure the opposing team did not catch a ball in the stands.

[jjnono]

Some citizen in the vicinity should have been barking out some instruction. When chaos ensues like that, a lone voice saying "Don't touch it!" could have helped.

For shame, section 62. For shame.

And that cry of "don' touch it" could or should have come from Nate himself. Or maybe a loud "I've got it!" ... but that might be asking a lot. It's how ballplayers communicate, though...

[Tony-OH]

So I was literally 4 seats to the right of this guy and one row behind him. The guy even asked Nate to pick it up afterwards (the audacity), Nate rightly snubbed the dude the umpire picked it up and gave it to him. It should be noted that was not his cell phone, but the guy that was next to him cell phone.

Let me say, the guy's intent was not malicious and the ball was pretty high off the bat, you could tell it was coming to our section. Being about 4 seats closer to home plate, it was fairly easy to track the ball to us, but the ball did cut back towards fair play it seemed. It looked like it was going to land in the 3rd or 4th row and then started to trail back in after a few sections in front of us. I think it's really important to note that from where we were sitting that ball looked to be more than foul from the start and I don't think any of us in the section thought it would be remotely playable.

Let me say this about the experience, because someone sent me a picture of me on TV, reaching out like a maniac to my left, I had no idea McLouth or Machado were there until after the ball came down. My eyes were locked up on the ball, tracking it and honest to god, I couldn't hear the guys coming in. I was farther away and you'd think the guy that actually interfered would have felt or seen McLouth would have had a better feel for it. But really the moment, did make me lose myself in what was going on. Again I wasn't in the first row...so that might be a different experience or feeling especially given the sound or feeling of the player up against you (I had people in front of me, so I didn't go from seeing grass to seeing jersey).

Anyway they hauled the guy away for about 1.5 innings it appeared they were going to kick him out, but he came back. Apparently he got reamed out by security and then he got an earful from a lot of fans, who deliberately came to the section just to the yell at the guy that didn't have seats there. Trust me, the guy felt like dirt and knew what he did was wrong.

I've probably been to over 200 Orioles games. I'd love to have a chance just to catch a foul ball. It's easy to get caught up in that moment. No offense Tony or Scottie, but you're way more connected to the game and these guys and the park and a whole series of things fans can't even imagine. I won't assume I know what catching a foul ball means to you, but it would mean a whole lot to me (especially given the investment I've made personally into the Orioles). I can't explain why it's something I care about but it is. I'd like to think I have more awareness than that goon if I was in his exact seat. But being about 15 feet away, I can testify to the fact that the moment in many ways does swallow you up.

I don't think the guy was trying to be malicious and I can understand everything you say here, but I guess I just feel when I'm there as a fan I'm trying to do everything I can to help the team. I've only sat on the first row or two a few times at a major league park, but each time I was fully aware that a ball could come close enough to me that a player could make a play at my seat. That pre-game awareness I believe would serve me well had the ball been popped up near me.

Now a few things here. I played baseball in some form until this year when I turned 43 and "retired." I can track flyballs well and I don't have that burning desire to catch a foul ball. Now I realize that most fans probably are not thinking this way when they sit in these kinds of seats. I can accept that. But at the end of the day, even if I understand all of this, if you deny our player a chance to catch a ball because you are living out some "dream" then I reserve the right to call you a bad fan!

I have to say I'm glad they took the guy away for a bit and I'm glad he was ostracized (but not physically abused in any way) by the crowd. No matter what his deal was, the ball was barely in the crowd and he should have been more aware of what is going on around him. Sure, I can understand the "thrill" of the moment possibly getting in the way, but if he had prepared himself ahead of time he could have avoided being that guy. Luckily it did not cost us anything.

[Tony-OH]

We sat in seats that may have been exactly those in an April game earlier this season. I had my wife, 11 year old and 7 year old son with me. I told them when we sat down that if a ball game in our section in the air, dont even try to get catch unless it was a liner. A ball ended up coming at us very similar to that one and shockingly they all listened to me. Nate didnt get to that one and the ball kicked back on the field, and we ended up with the ball anyway. I know its a different world seeing that ball hundreds of feet in the air heading your way, but even my kids (and we all know how bad kids want a foul ball) were able to show some constraint of interfering because they were aware of where they were. Guy should have spent less time preparing his dinner plans and more time preparing himself for being so close to a possible live ball.

Perfect. You are good fan and Dad!

[flashjordnk]

I don't think the guy was trying to be malicious and I can understand everything you say here, but I guess I just feel when I'm there as a fan I'm trying to do everything I can to help the team. I've only sat on the first row or two a few times at a major league park, but each time I was fully aware that a ball could come close enough to me that a player could make a play at my seat. That pre-game awareness I believe would serve me well had the ball been popped up near me.

Now a few things here. I played baseball in some form until this year when I turned 43 and "retired." I can track flyballs well and I don't have that burning desire to catch a foul ball. Now I realize that most fans probably are not thinking this way when they sit in these kinds of seats. I can accept that. But at the end of the day, even if I understand all of this, if you deny our player a chance to catch a ball because you are living out some "dream" then I reserve the right to call you a bad fan!

I have to say I'm glad they took the guy away for a bit and I'm glad he was ostracized (but not physically abused in any way) by the crowd. No matter what his deal was, the ball was barely in the crowd and he should have been more aware of what is going on around him. Sure, I can understand the "thrill" of the moment possibly getting in the way, but if he had prepared himself ahead of time he could have avoided being that guy. Luckily it did not cost us anything.

I can't imagine how embarrassed and ashamed I would have been if that would have been me. I still think having open grass to your left and being able to have a clear sign to the player coming up helps (especially with Machado coming towards you, he def would have been in your line of sight).

I wish there would have been someone in our section who would have been smart enough to yell out that a player was coming over and to move out of the way.

Let me tell you, Nate gave that guy that nastiest stare I've ever seen. I thought he was going to punch him.

[Prayin4Reign]

So nobody here is going to admit that they, in the same situation, would probably do the same thing that guy did?

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Sometimes human nature just kicks in and we don't think as 'fans'. I'm sure the guy was embarrassed and felt like crud afterwards. Things happen. I was thinking about Bartman too. There's a good documentary on that. People make mistakes. For some inane reason Cubs' fans had to make that guy's life a living hell. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Silly too.

[hanging_curve]

I would love to see a GIF of the whole play. I remember seeing the play and thinking that the Fan did nothing wrong but he certainly did not help Nate out. If the fan did something wrong then kick him out. If the fan did not do something wrong then you do not have the right to KGB (security) him for an inning.

[hanging_curve]

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing. Sometimes human nature just kicks in and we don't think as 'fans'. I'm sure the guy was embarrassed and felt like crud afterwards. Things happen. I was thinking about Bartman too. There's a good documentary on that. People make mistakes. For some inane reason Cubs' fans had to make that guy's life a living hell. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Silly too.

"Bartman and two people that accompanied him to the game and toward the exit tunnel from the field. News footage of the game showed him surrounded by security as passersby pelted him with drinks and other debris. Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after the game ended.[11] As many as six police cars gathered outside his home to protect Bartman and his family following the incident.[12] Afterwards, then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich suggested that Bartman join a witness protection program, while then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush offered Bartman asylum.[1]"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bartman_incident

[weams]

I would love to see a GIF of the whole play. I remember seeing the play and thinking that the Fan did nothing wrong but he certainly did not help Nate out. If the fan did something wrong then kick him out. If the fan did not do something wrong then you do not have the right to KGB (security) him for an inning.

Read the back of your ticket. You bought a trip to the KGB no matter what you do. So yes. They do have that right.

[Rex Thunder]

I was amazed at how similar that looked to the Bartman incident. Had this been a playoff game B'more may have had their own Bartman.

Only if we had lost...

[hanging_curve]

Read the back of your ticket. You bought a trip to the KGB no matter what you do. So yes. They do have that right.

I do not live in the states but I was certain that Americans were protected from false imprisonment and guaranteed due process. Oh well I guess the fine print on the back of a ticket stub can suspend your constitutional rights. Go O's!

[srh523]

Excuse me Michael but I have Larry Bigbie!

[weams]

Excuse me Michael but I have Larry Bigbie!

Yes you do.