Local news sites have been buzzing about the little boy who didn’t get what he wanted at last night’s Rangers v. Yankees game. Mitch Moreland tossed a foul ball in the general direction of the kid. It was retrieved instead by the man sitting next to said toddler. This adult was clearly a child-hating monster, because he gave the ball to his girlfriend/wife instead. What about the children?!
I’m not one of those middle-aged people who goes on and on about how entitled today’s kids are. (I grew up with a helluva lot more middle-class privilege than my parents did). But there’s no reason the adult who caught Moreland’s ball was obligated to give it to the todder. Maybe the man was a crazy Rangers fan and really cherished his catch, which, if handed over to the crying boy, was far more likely to be prized by the parents. Do they deserve a ball just for procreating? Methinks not. Childless people unite! And let’s tell parents: We are responsible for your kids’ public safety if they’re in danger, but not for their moment-to-moment happiness.
And, of course, another player tossed another ball to the kid. Overprivileged toddlers!
“But there’s no reason the adult who caught Moreland’s ball was obligated to give it to the todder. Maybe the man was a crazy Rangers fan and really cherished his catch, which, if handed over to the crying boy, was far more likely to be prized by the parents. Do they deserve a ball just for procreating? Methinks not.” Agreed!! I like kids…but I love my Rangers! If I got my hands on a ball it’d be ALL MINE! The guy didn’t reach over and wrestle the kid to the ground for it. He caught it fair and square. He and his wife/girlfriend were genuinely excited with smiles on their faces too, not ho-hum or disinterested that they’d snagged a keepsake. With the Rangers increased popularity baseball isn’t just for the young and placating other people’s children. It’s for everybody!
That whining crybaby kid didn’t deserve a ball. If a kid acts like a brat and screams and throws a tantrum to get what he wants, and then you give it to him, you just encouraged horrible behavior. If I were that kid’s dad, I would have made him throw back that second ball. Then I would have spanked him and put him in timeout for the rest of the game.
Mel and sass are wrong. It’s a stinking toddler! Give him the ball! Why ruin it for your kid? That couple is horrible and a disgrace. I would give the kid the ball. I’m not a MONSTER!