Ballhawks - WSJ article

[Patrick425]

At the risk of opening up this can of worms again, I just wanted to point out that there is an article in the WSJ (front page of the print edition) regarding ballhawks. It highlights Nick Yohanek (a.k.a. Happy Youngster), but also mentions others. What I find funny about the article is that it gives the full name of some ballplayers (Chris Coghlan, Geoff Jenkins, Adam Dunn, etc) but refers to others only as Mr. (Mr. Griffy, Mr. Rose, etc.). Kind of odd writing.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124700099868207685.html

[jjkoestler]

What I find funny about the article is that it gives the full name of some ballplayers (Chris Coghlan, Geoff Jenkins, Adam Dunn, etc) but refers to others only as Mr. (Mr. Griffy, Mr. Rose, etc.). Kind of odd writing.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124700099868207685.html

The author uses the full name the first time the individual is mentioned and "Mr." each time after.

 

Thanks for sharing the article.

[Patrick425]

jjkoestler[/b]]The author uses the full name the first time the individual is mentioned and "Mr." each time after.

 

Thanks for sharing the article.

Oh..yeah. I guess I skimmed the article kind of quickly. Didn't see the mention of Ken Griffy Jr earlier in the article and now also I see he is not referring to Pete Rose.

[bluemoundlotallstar]

Jeff Wagner is discussing this topic on am620 right now.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Eventually one of these guys is going to run over some kid and someone is going to get hurt. Security needs to be watching these guys.

[bjkrautk]

Security needs to be watching these guys.

That was the striking thing to me about the article; the HY admitted to seat-moving during the course of the game. The Brewers organization knows where his season tickets are, and know when he isn't in that seat. They can make the problem go away if they want to.

[1992casey]

Please, let's not use this thread to re-dissect the Happy Youngster thing. The post directly above is fine. It would seem that a long, dragged out discussion of it (again) could send this thread into lock territory.

[Baldkin]

Eventually one of these guys is going to run over some kid and someone is going to get hurt. Security needs to be watching these guys.

And eventually some drunk guy is going to get in a fight and knock into some kid. We need to stop beer sales.

[Invader3K]

I still think the moniker "ballhogs" would be more appropriate, since the term "ballhawk" seems to be one they've given themselves and seems to be pretty self congratulatory, if you look into the original meaning of the term.

[phxMILWfan]

Eventually one of these guys is going to run over some kid and someone is going to get hurt. Security needs to be watching these guys.

And eventually some drunk guy is going to get in a fight and knock into some kid. We need to stop beer sales.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa let's not talk crazy now! Stopping beer sales? Instead of banning ball hawking and stopping beer sales why don't we kill two birds with one stone and ban children from the stadium? I think I mean for that to be in blue... sort of.

[dlk9s]

I'd like children to be banned because if I ever catch a ball, I won't have to give it away.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Yeah, I'm sorry, everyone has hobbies, but the 2 times I've "encountered" ball hawks were both pretty terrible encounters. My son was being thrown a ball by a Nat's bullpen catcher, when a 20-something with a glove hip checked him out of the way (and missed the ball). The guy then proceeded to dive over the bleachers and into my wife, but not before my non-glove wearing adult grabbed the ball, gave it to my kid, and admonished the jerk for his behavior. After knocking down my kid and running into my wife diving after a 9 dollar ball, that's as close as I've ever come to throwing punches in public.

 

2nd time was seeing a ballhog with a glove push an older guy in his 50's right in the back to get him out of the way of a thrown ball from a BP catcher against the Pads.

 

I know, I know, there's those out there that supposedly don't, but my experience with the hobbyists has left a sour taste in my mouth. Catching a ball at a game is cool, but there's nothing cool about the way a lot of these guys go about it.

[Baldkin]

How do you know these guys you encountered were ballhawks, and not just idiots at a baseball game who went too far to try to get a ball?

 

I've had my share of experiences with being shoved, knocked down, and pushed when a ball has come into my section. That doesn't mean all of the people who went after the ball are 'ballhawks' and/or collectors.

 

I watched my 60 year old dad get knocked down at a game last year, after he had a ball go off his hands behind home plate (section 220 or so) and a group of 6 people all dove on the ground at his feet to try to get the ball.

[topper09er]

Seriously, when you are little kid getting something from a game, ball, autograph, whatever was really exciting and cool and you didnt even care if it came from the worst player on the team. I caught a ball from Sammy Sosa after he was warming up in RF in 98 during the HR chase and I thought it was the coolest thing ever even though he was on the cubs. I was also 13 years old. These losers need to grow up and realize getting a random batting practice ball is not exciting anymore and they are meant for kids. I can see trying catch someone 500th HR, but seriously these guys need to grow up. When you are in your 20s and above there are much more exciting things in life, such as women. I guess these ballhawks have not figured that out.

[DuWayne Steurer]

How do you know these guys you encountered were ballhawks, and not just idiots at a baseball game who went too far to try to get a ball?

 

I've had my share of experiences with being shoved, knocked down, and pushed when a ball has come into my section. That doesn't mean all of the people who went after the ball are 'ballhawks' and/or collectors.

 

I watched my 60 year old dad get knocked down at a game last year, after he had a ball go off his hands behind home plate (section 220 or so) and a group of 6 people all dove on the ground at his feet to try to get the ball.

 

I don't care if the guy calls himself a "ballhawk" or not, when a 20-something is at the park, wearing a glove, and carrying 4 balls around, and knocking my kid over to get at even more, there's a problem. And yes, I'll lump him in with all the rest.

[FidoMcCokefiend]

I think it's silly to think a players tossing you a ball in batting practice is "special", I think being a fan means never putting on the enemies jersey to get said ball, I hate the fact that seat hopping is ignored like this, I think the holding the balls hostage part is absolutely horrible boorish behavior, and frankly every word I've heard/read out of these "ballhawks" mouths supports every stereotype I would have placed upon them.

 

That being said, I have 2 incredibly expensive hobbies/interests where it would be quite easy for most people to consider me insane for doing what I do to acquire these items or for paying as much as I do for these things... So to each his own I suppose as long as you don't hurt others in the process.

[mtrebs]

...

 

That being said, I have 2 incredibly expensive hobbies/interests where it would be quite easy for most people to consider me insane for doing what I do to acquire these items or for paying as much as I do for these things... So to each his own I suppose as long as you don't hurt others in the process.

OK, now I'm intrigued...what are your incredibly expensive hobbies/interests?

[hawing]

I put dibs on Faberge eggs, like Bleeding Gums Murphy. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Godspeed]

...

 

That being said, I have 2 incredibly expensive hobbies/interests where it would be quite easy for most people to consider me insane for doing what I do to acquire these items or for paying as much as I do for these things... So to each his own I suppose as long as you don't hurt others in the process.

OK, now I'm intrigued...what are your incredibly expensive hobbies/interests?

Obviously, with a name like FidoMcCokefiend (awesome, btw) it's dogs and cocaine... Or coke-snorting dogs and something else equally mysterious and crazy!

[razzzorsharp]

Seriously, when you are little kid getting something from a game, ball, autograph, whatever was really exciting and cool and you didnt even care if it came from the worst player on the team. I caught a ball from Sammy Sosa after he was warming up in RF in 98 during the HR chase and I thought it was the coolest thing ever even though he was on the cubs. I was also 13 years old. These losers need to grow up and realize getting a random batting practice ball is not exciting anymore and they are meant for kids. I can see trying catch someone 500th HR, but seriously these guys need to grow up. When you are in your 20s and above there are much more exciting things in life, such as women. I guess these ballhawks have not figured that out.

Who are you to judge? I don't bring a glove and I don't care to get balls but I do things that I am sure you will judge "not exciting" enough for a 20 something guy. If you don't like it so be it, but I don't think you should be judging these guys based on a small and harmless aspect of their social life.

[cwolf2012]

I have never caught a ball at a baseball game. I am certainly willing to do a little bit of pushing to catch my first ball, which I would keep (it would also have to be a game ball, not a bullpen ball). After that, I wouldn't care. If a ball came at me, I would certainly catch it, and I would definitely give it away after the first one (unless it was something super significant that would yield some sort of return).

 

I don't care if I'm in my mid-20s, it's an adolescent fantasy that was never fulfilled. You better believe I would love to fulfill it now.

[dlk9s]

I have 2 incredibly expensive hobbies/interests where it would be quite easy for most people to consider me insane for doing what I do to acquire these items or for paying as much as I do for these things.

Is this you?

 

http://blog.videogamepric...world-championships.html

[hawing]

I don't think you should be judging these guys based on a small and harmless aspect of their social life.

If fans of any age are being hip checked or shoved so ball guy can get another ball, that comes close to (if not crosses) the "harmless" line for me.

[RightFieldCoder]

I'm constantly having to watch out from being run over by adults and kids to get bp balls, warm up balls, and hrs. I also have problems with seat hoppers sitting in my row. "Professional" ballhogs just don't leave a good taste in my mouth.

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

Professional" ballhogs just don't leave a good taste in my mouth.

 

It's almost too much to bear... board rules of propriety, etc... because this one is just lobbed out there. (And, so that I add something, I agree that these guys are a little too over zealous).