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

[notfast]

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.

This. Ive sat in very similar seats a few times in the past (might have been further up the line towards pole) but every in our group had a discussion prior to the game about what to do if a ball game.

We sit in some LF front row seats a few times a year. Same discussion...even going with the same people. Just as a refresher. Theres video of me leaning over the wall waiting for a Jones HR last year...just in case the LF tried to leap

[weams]

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!

Yes. It can. The terms are displayed before the game. And all fans are told that by interfering with a ball in play, they are subject to ejection, or prosecution. So it is not exactly KGB. Or false imprisonment.

[weams]

Excuse me Michael but I have Larry Bigbie!

[hanging_curve]

So here is the thing, did the fan interfere with the play? The umpires ruled he did not? And for the record I see your point and I was only half joking about the KGB thing. I feel bad for the fan. A great night at the ball park turns into a mini Bartman episode.

[El Gordo]

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!

Are you kidding?

[Tx Oriole]

Yeah, I mean... when you're in the stands and a ball is hit up in the air, it's pretty hard to think logically when it's coming right at you. Not to mention there's little chance the guy even saw that McLouth was trying to make the play. Still, I would like to think I'd have a little more situational awareness, but I recognize that it's tough.

Fans just don't think at that moment. Like Bartman. I feel bad for a fan in that

situation. Bartman was even threatened over a damn game. Nate cAn be pissed

at that fan. But we all do things without thinking.

[Tx Oriole]

I pay attention to the game. In that situation I want to see them get an out. If it was a Yankee I'd go for it

As perfect as fAns may think they are well they aren't. People do things without

thinking all the time. Even you my friend.

[OFFNY]

Excuse me Michael, but I have Larry Bigbie!

I have Brad Bergesen and Nick Markakis.

I won both of them.

Bergesen's was one of the goodies that I got for one of the Fan of the Game's that I won.

Markakis' was for answering a question at Oriole Fest 2009. The question was, "What was the exact date (and the winning pitcher) of the first game ever at Oriole Park @ Camden Yards?" O April 6th, 1992, Rick Sutcliffe.

[hanging_curve]

Honestly, I can see that you could kick me out for interfering with a ball in play. However, being escorted by security (assuming that this happened) to some holding area is pretty uncool. Kick me out or prosecute me but holding me pending some review seems unlawful. I would love to hear how that legal stuff all works. Again I feel bad for front row fan.

[Tx Oriole]

Of course is really hard for a fan not try and catch a foul ball the basically lands on top of them and yes anyone of use, depending on beer intake, could do the same thing.

But that doesn't make it right.

Guy made a bad fan play.

The good fan play is basically boxing out the entire area so McClouth has the best chance at it. It's not any easy play for your average fan. But this was an rare opportunity for a fan to be a hero in a game.

Fan fail!

I would never push a child out of the way but gosh if it is coming

in my direction I would go for it.

[RussellStSports]

As somebody who buys seats where no balls typically go, if I was in a section like that and a ball was flying right at me I can sympathize with someone trying to catch that ball. I like to think that I would have the presence of mind to try to get out of the way to let McClouth catch it, but with how crowded it was in the area I can see how you would try to put your arms up to catch it without realizing that a player might be reaching for it, too.

It's instinct to try to catch a ball coming at you. It might be very hard to completely get out of the way and catching it (or at least trying to) may be the only way to protect yourself in certain situations. It probably wasn't the case for that ball but I can definitely see how your instincts would tell you to catch it. I wouldn't feel good about catching that foul ball after I realized what I did, but I am not sure that I wouldn't try to catch it. After I realized it, I would throw it back but that wasn't a problem in that instance since it went back in the field anyway... and as far as a homerun ball for an opposing team, I'd throw it back unless it was a milestone then I'd try to get as much money out of it as I could.

[Tx Oriole]

Spot on Tony. Sadly, these people don't realize they look like idiots. Can't you buy a game used baseball at the stadium? I will never understand adults fighting for a ball or pushing their way through a crowd of 9 year olds to get an autograph.

I don't push children at all. Some fans like myself collect autographed baseballs.

I don't believe I am an idiot because I have a passion for baseball. I have Brooks

on a bat. Cal on a glove. This man simply made a mistake. End of story. IMO

[Tx Oriole]

There are a lot of casual fans at the game who don't pay attention pitch to pitch. It annoys the hell out of me but it's their money and they have as much right to be there as I do. That being said the guy should be embarrassed. Not only did he hurt the O's, he looked like a big fat dork while doing so. I coach an adult team and I have two full buckets of balls. I always tell my sons, you see a line drive heading my way, don't expect me to stick my hand out. Break a hand over a $10 baseball? Nah, no thanks. Now a popup that can't be caught, I'll give it a shot...

How did he hurt the O's? They won. What irritates the hell out of me is the holier

than thou attitudes.

[El Gordo]

As perfect as fAns may think they are well they aren't. People do things without

thinking all the time. Even you my friend.

I don't give a crap about catching foul balls Jack. I am an avid O's fan, I don't get to go to many games because I live out of town. So I am not involved in catching foul balls. I am always into the game situation. So don't tell me what you think I might do in that situation.

[weams]

How did he hurt the O's? They won. What irritates the hell out of me is the holier

than thou attitudes.

It's not really holier than thou anymore. This is a contending team. Part of the covenant as a fan of a team that can go to the playoffs is to assist the team as a tenth man. Get loud when you are supposed to. Heckle if given the opportunity. Block out if the competition is trying to come in to the stands to make a play (this means you Jeter). And to allow our players to attempt to make superhuman efforts (as one of the 700 best at what they do on the planet) WITHOUT obstruction from their own fans. Do everything that can be done to disrupt the concentration of the opponents.

And first, do not harm.