When we last talked on Friday, we were discussing the intricacies of foul ball etiquette, juxtaposed with infant mentality in adult sports fans and subsequent child entitlement. Or we were talking about dicks who steal foul balls from kids, but that first one sounds fancier. Either way, it all started with the story of 12-year old Arizona Diamondbacks fan Ian McMillan, who was praised for his selflessness and generosity after he gave a ball tossed into the stands by Rickie Weeks to a kid who cried his eyes out after he dropped it.
As we discussed, McMillan appeared to have been urged by a stadium attendant to give the ball to the other kid, but it’s old news now, because the D-Backs don’t care. They think McMillan is pretty cool, and they rightfully rewarded the hell out of him. Before Friday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies, McMillan was presented his very own team jersey by manager Kirk Gibson in a special press conference. Then he even got to throw out the first pitch. Meanwhile, that other kid probably cried.
McMillan’s thoughts and awesomeness after the jump.
https://www.abc15.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=10783
On his decision to give the ball to the other kid:
“I just felt really bad for the kid because I think it might have been intended for him, but I just didn’t see him, so I just thought it was the right thing to do to give it back.”
See, the emphasis is on “might have.” Even at 12, this kid already knows how to get his digs in. He knows that the ball was thrown by Weeks in a general direction and that the person closest to the ball dropped it, therefore making it anyone’s ball. But I digress.
On the reaction from his friends:
“Once they first saw me on television, I have gotten about 70 text messages… in the first 30 minutes.”
Text messages? He’s 12. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but a 12-year old boy should not have a cell phone. Imagine all the crazy things he’s texting to girls, like, “Wanna come over and play Madden?” or “You get that cooties taken care of yet?” I didn’t even have a pager until I was 14, but that’s because my parents were good drug dealers.
On the video of a male Houston Astros fan who wrestled a ball away from a female fan*:
“That’s just not right.”
Chivalry and honor. If he hates Mexicans, he’ll make one hell of an Arizona legislator.
*You can see the clip of the Astros fan in the news video above. It’s the same clip that I removed from Friday’s feature because one commenter pointed out that the man may have been mentally challenged. Again, I removed it because I could see that being the case, but the use of it here at least raises the point that he may have just been a dipsh*t.
(Via)
