The Mysterious Case of Tony Horton

[OFFNY]

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This article is from 2010. However, I think that a lot of baseball fans (myself included) wondered whatever happened to Tony Horton after he had a mental breakdown in 1970.

This is an article about the Tony Horton mystery that continues until this day.

The article is most interesting, because it was written by a fan that actually taunted Horton with a "HORTON STINKS" sign during the Indians' banner day back in August of 1970 ....... what the fan did not know was that the day before, right after Horton was removed for a pinch-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against the Angels, Horton went to his car in the stadium parking lot and slit his wrists. Horton survived his suicide attempt, but he never played professional baseball again.

At the time, the author (and Horton taunter) was only 18 years-old, and for several decades never gave his actions a second thought, until a friend of his sent him a link of Terry Pluto's book, The Curse of Rocky Colavito. The book detailed the entire "HORTON STINKS" banner incident, along with Horton's subsequent suicide attempt the day before ........ which the author did not know about until 1997, when he read a NY DAILY NEWS article about the mystery surrounding Tony Horton.

I hope that you enjoy the article, of which I found to be very poignant.

 

Taunting Tony Horton The Day After He Slit His Wrists: A Cleveland Fan Repents

(By Scott Raab)

http://deadspin.com/5548412/taunting-tony-horton-the-day-after-he-slit-his-wrists-a-cleveland-fan-repents

 

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[OFFNY]

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Happy birthday, Mr. Horton.

 

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[24fps]

You lost me at the urge to publish Mr. Raab. Repentance is sometimes a learned skill. Keep at it.

[OFFNY]

24fps said:

 

You lost me at the urge to publish Mr. Raab. Repentance is sometimes a learned skill. Keep at it.

 

o

 

I lost you? It wasn't about me, or about publishing the author of the article. Horton's very unusual story and baseball career is an intriguing mystery, and this is (what I believe to be) a very interesting twist on an act that seemed like that of just another obnoxious fan when he did it, but after realizing what ensued immediately afterward (Horton's suicide attempt and emotional breakdown) made him feel very ashamed and remorseful. It made me ponder peoples' interactions with each other in life (mine included.)

 

o

[24fps]

I lost you? It wasn't about me, or about publishing the author of the article. Horton's very unusual story and baseball career is an intriguing mystery, and this is (what I believe to be) a very interesting twist on an act that seemed like that of just another obnoxious fan when he did it, but after realizing what ensued immediately afterward (Horton's suicide attempt and emotional breakdown) made him feel very ashamed and remorseful. It made me ponder peoples' interactions with each other in life (mine included.)

After decades in the entertainment business I have become very cynical at public demonstrations of remorse. I reflexively question motives and I question the motives of a man who felt it necessary not only to re-open, even if only briefly, Mr. Horton's wound, but then write a pseudo-Posnanskian essay on his journey from callow ballpark lout to someone who in his mind has achieved some rueful state of grace through painful self-reflection.

His remorse would ring truer to me if he had just tracked down Tony Horton at whatever expense necessary, offered his sincere apology and left it at that. I strongly suspect that Tony Horton didn't care for the sign when he learned about it and doesn't care for the story being resurrected by it's author, who may or may not be self-serving but who's to know.

My post wasn't directed at you, but at the author of the article. I should have put a comma after publish. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding.

[OFFNY]

24fps said:

After decades in the entertainment business I have become very cynical at public demonstrations of remorse. I reflexively question motives and I question the motives of a man who felt it necessary not only to re-open, even if only briefly, Mr. Horton's wound, but then write a pseudo-Posnanskian essay on his journey from callow ballpark lout to someone who in his mind has achieved some rueful state of grace through painful self-reflection.

His remorse would ring truer to me if he had just tracked down Tony Horton at whatever expense necessary, offered his sincere apology and left it at that. I strongly suspect that Tony Horton didn't care for the sign when he learned about it and doesn't care for the story being resurrected by it's author, who may or may not be self-serving but who's to know.

My post wasn't directed at you, but at the author of the article. I should have put a comma after publish. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding.

o

 

Raab tried to get in touch with Horton, and found that he (Horton) has made it clear that he wants not to be bothered, which is a big part of the mystery in regard to his shortened career, and why he never chose to try to make a comeback after recovering emotionally. I don't share your cynicism about this. To me, it's simply a fan that did something stupid a long, long time ago, and is apologizing for it. I've never met Horton, and I have no idea of what type of person he is and/or what makes him happy/unhappy, but I don't see anything offensive or self-serving about this article. I don't see it as opening old wounds. It's an apology to a long-forgotten player who played for some long-forgotten teams that were not very good, and drew very few fans/interest. I don't see any reason why Horton would feel hurt and/or annoyed by it if he did indeed ever read it.

 

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[Moosess]

Tony wanted to put this incident behind him and start a new and very private life. So, if Scott Raab was really remorseful, he would have honored Tony's wishes and never written that story.  Instead he brought it back in the limelight.  It was a cheap shot to make a buck. He should be ashamed.