I have been to my fair share of baseball and softball games and have thoroughly enjoyed the diamond action, even when I wasn’t participating. I have taken in college, professional and even novice baseball and softball action, and give my utmost respect to the athletes that are staying active and participating.
The participants on the diamond, all dream of playing in front of thousands of people, but that isn’t always the case, I think there are more followers and fans at Legion baseball games, than there were in the final years of the Montreal Expos, but then again the Expos didn’t play in a stick-and-ball hotbed either. It doesn’t matter if a fan is attending a baseball game at Fenway Park, the new Yankee Stadium or any of the local high school baseball and softball fields; the people in attendance, that respect the game, aren’t bigger than the game and support the game, I totally whole-heartedly respect. There is always a spoiler in attendance though, some times more than one ignorant fan. With the assistance of a few onlookers at diamond matchups, I have compiled a checklist of potential spoilers, that could be coming to a stadium or ballfield near you. (This list could apply to any sporting event.)
If you are in the presence of more than one of the below mentioned ‘superfans’, consider yourself privledged, to now feel just a little more intelligent, that you aren’t that superfan.
--Text addict: The person who spends more time involved with his phone and social life, than actually watching the game. What is wrong with a small lapse from the soap opera life; and enjoying the feel and excitement of watching athletic competition live, in full-color?
--Jersey fan: It is awesome to support your team by wearing the team colors in replica or authenic threads, but to put your own name on the jersey? I am not sure that I am believing that the Frazier that wore number 15 for the Huskers, is now a white guy that is bald and Five-foot nothing, 100 pounds, and his jersey is small enough, it wouldn’t have fit the kicker. In baseball, and in fact any sport, if you have the name johnson or smith on the back of your jersey, you could be a sports superstar and look the part, but that is usually not the case with the individuals spotted wearing the professional threads.
--Know it all, Ex-Jock: This fan is usually the person that knows the least, but knows it the loudest. In fact, in most situations the insertion of a couple big, awkward words into his speech, is a dead giveaway in the lack of knowledge of the individual. The person might only be a high school or college kid, but they remember exactly like it was yesterday, the last time the beloved Chicago Cubs won the World Series, and that is virtually impossible. The person was probably in attendance at the game, or maybe they are recalling that time in Little League, when they threw the no-hitter, and lets everybody know of his life changing accomplishments of youth athletics.
--Ball-Strike fan: It doesn’t matter what level of competition, there will always be the fan in the stands or voice in the crowd that doesn’t approve of the umpires calls. Its never the guy, right behind the plate in the front row, its the fan that is so far from the action, whether it be in the nosebleed section, or the person sitting in their car watching the action outside the fence, but they can clearly see the pitch through their binoculars, better than the umpire, supposedly.
--Shirtless guy or Bikini girl: There are always going to be people that enjoy to flaunt their muscles, or attention grabbing physiques, but lets keep it away from the games. The excuses of, “I just left the gym or Its just to hot to wear a shirt,” isn’t a viable excuse in my book. If you want to wear swimming attire, go to a swimming pool. You aren’t going to see me shirtless, I would very soon look like a lobster, and I don’t quite have the physique to be struting around in public.
--Glove fan: It doesn't matter what level of play, there is always a fan in the stands with a glove; maybe hoping to be put into the game to play defense; or be subbed into the diamond action a person has to always be prepared. For some fans, that attend professional games, they may bring a glove in hopes of catching a foul ball or a homerun ball; and don't want to embarrass themselves by dropping the ball. I have caught a homerun ball, without a glove, and caught it one handed, as if I had a glove on. Leave your glove at home and go to enjoy the game.
Throughout the summer months, you can use this checklist to see how right or wrong I am about the fans in the stands.
SPORTS THINKING OUTLOUD TRIVIA: What number was Mickey Mantle wearing when he hit his first major league homerun? Who was the individual that was currently wearing the #7 that forced Mantle to don a different number, where was he from?
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