TruBlueCowboy
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I don't know if anyone saw the video for this but it even made ESPN. A little kid (maybe 5 or 6 years old) is about to grab a foul ball and this big 30 something man jumps down and forces the kid out of the way and grabs the foul ball for himself. He was booed by the hometown fans and the play-by-play men really called him out. There's been a happy ending though for the kid.
Fan will play fair, give boy foul ball
Media heat prompts change-up in attitude for Sachse man
11:25 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 16, 2004
By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News
In the end, Matt Starr decided to play ball.
The Texas Rangers' most maligned fan, who belly-flopped over a 4-year-old to shag a foul ball Sunday afternoon, promised Wednesday to mail the poisoned prize, a letter of apology and an undisclosed number of game tickets to the Plano family on the receiving end of his enthusiasm.
"He doesn't want any more publicity about this," said Gregg Elkin, spokesman for the baseball team. "He's hoping this will bring some sort of closure."
Mr. Starr notified the Rangers of his goodwill gesture Wednesday, and a representative for the team contacted the O'Brien family – young Nick and his parents, Jeff and Edie – in New York City, where they were on deck for a possible morning appearance on Good Morning America.
Mr. Starr's refusal to give Nick the ball drew blistering commentary Sunday from Rangers TV announcer Tom Grieve – and national attention afterward. On Wednesday, friends continued to defend Mr. Starr, a Sachse resident.
"I've known Matt for seven or eight years, and he is without exception the greatest baseball fan that I know. He could tell you anything about baseball," said Hadley Baker of Garland, who added that he and Mr. Starr ministered to children at Sachse Assembly of God. "Kids were our whole lives."
He said Mr. Starr had retreated from what he called the media's hyped and hysterical coverage.
"They're just making way too much out of it," Mr. Baker said. "It's completely ludicrous. They need someone to stand up for him."
One of Mr. Starr's neighbors, Kendra Stout, said she was upset by what her children watched an adult neighbor do on national television.
"Any adult with the right mind would have handed [the ball] over," Ms. Stout said. "He's probably learned a sad lesson."
Fan will play fair, give boy foul ball
Media heat prompts change-up in attitude for Sachse man
11:25 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 16, 2004
By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News
In the end, Matt Starr decided to play ball.
The Texas Rangers' most maligned fan, who belly-flopped over a 4-year-old to shag a foul ball Sunday afternoon, promised Wednesday to mail the poisoned prize, a letter of apology and an undisclosed number of game tickets to the Plano family on the receiving end of his enthusiasm.
"He doesn't want any more publicity about this," said Gregg Elkin, spokesman for the baseball team. "He's hoping this will bring some sort of closure."
Mr. Starr notified the Rangers of his goodwill gesture Wednesday, and a representative for the team contacted the O'Brien family – young Nick and his parents, Jeff and Edie – in New York City, where they were on deck for a possible morning appearance on Good Morning America.
Mr. Starr's refusal to give Nick the ball drew blistering commentary Sunday from Rangers TV announcer Tom Grieve – and national attention afterward. On Wednesday, friends continued to defend Mr. Starr, a Sachse resident.
"I've known Matt for seven or eight years, and he is without exception the greatest baseball fan that I know. He could tell you anything about baseball," said Hadley Baker of Garland, who added that he and Mr. Starr ministered to children at Sachse Assembly of God. "Kids were our whole lives."
He said Mr. Starr had retreated from what he called the media's hyped and hysterical coverage.
"They're just making way too much out of it," Mr. Baker said. "It's completely ludicrous. They need someone to stand up for him."
One of Mr. Starr's neighbors, Kendra Stout, said she was upset by what her children watched an adult neighbor do on national television.
"Any adult with the right mind would have handed [the ball] over," Ms. Stout said. "He's probably learned a sad lesson."
