Gary Armida's Blog
Kansas City seems like a lovely place. The setting of Kauffman Stadium is idyllic when it comes to watching a Baseball game. The recently renovated park is one of Baseball’s greatest cathedrals in that it blends some of the most modern amenities yet still holds all of that history. There is the Buck O’Neill seat, a special seat behind homeplate that was the legend’s seat when he attended games. Now, it is given out as a special honor. Mrs. Jackie Robinson sat in it last night. George Brett compiled his Hall of Fame career within those lines. Dan Quisenberry racked up saves while sidearming his way past hitters. Players like Frank White, Kevin Seitzer, Willie Wilson, Brett Saberhagen, and Mark Gubicza all upheld the dignity that came with being a Kansas City Royals player.
And even as the team couldn’t compete on financial grounds anymore--they did have the league’s highest payroll in 1994--fans stayed loyal. As losing season after losing season mounted, Kansas City kept its dignity. There were no paper bags or even anything that resembled a boycott. Then, Dayton Moore began to rebuild. The Royals have a great nucleus of young talent. If they can develop some of their own pitching, they will compete for the playoffs for the next decade.
As the franchise began to get healthy, the Royals began their refurb of Kauffman Stadium. They kept the character of it while adding things that all franchises need in a modern ballpark. For their efforts, they were awarded the 2012 All-Star Game. The midsummer classic is meant to be played in places like Kauffman Stadium. The people, the city, the stadium all add up to the perfect baseball experience.
It should’ve been perfect. Baseball, the nation’s great game should be played in the type of small town setting that writers use to craft the ideal baseball novel. But, human nature tends to ruin the ideal. It’s almost as if we don’t want things to be perfect. The people of Kansas City behaved the same way that the people of Arizona behaved last season. Kansas City--at least the people who showed up at Kauffman Stadium--showed a type of ignorance that clouds what truly lies beneath all of that disgusting behavior--a great fan base and an even better city.
It all started with the Home Run Derby. That is worth repeating here: It all started because of the Home Run Derby. As last season’s winner, Robinson Cano was selected as captain of the American League team. Cano selected a team of Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo, and Prince Fielder to join him against the National League team. When first named captain, Cano had promised to take a Royals player. But, he instead elected to take the Major League homerun leader in Bautista, a player who hits them farther than most in Mark Trumbo, and a previous champion in Fielder. There wasn’t one argument against having one of those players.
For Cano’s correct change of mind, he was lustily booed during the introductions for the Derby. Ok, fans wanted to voice their displeasure for not being able to see Billy Butler is fine. It’s their right. But, then, it got worse. Cano came up and was booed loudly. With each failed homerun swing, the fans began to cheer, jeer, and do whatever other nasty thing to voice their displeasure for not seeing Billy Butler.
That’s the same Billy Butler who many Kansas City fans have opined will never be that good because he is “only” a doubles hitter. He’s a player who has hit at least 40 doubles in each of the last three seasons, but has failed to top 20 homeruns or a .469 slugging percentage. This season, he does have 16 home runs and is slugging .487. But, a home run hitter, he is not. It’s a bit ironic that the fans booed and behaved that classless over a very good player who isn’t a home run hitter. It is the Home Run Derby, right?
Many have the opinion that once a fan buys a ticket, that entitles him to be able to behave in any manner possible. That just doesn’t make sense. A ticket to a Broadway show does not entitle a patron to heckle for two straight hours. A ticket does not to the movies does not entitle someone to be able to talk all the way through the movie. Why does a ticket to a Baseball game give someone the right to act like a buffoon?
But, it was the Home Run Derby. Certainly the fans wouldn’t carry it over into the game. They did. Cano was booed at every move. Fans continued to chant Billy Butler’s name as Cano took his swings. Their actions seem petty and a result of a very insecure fan base. Yes, the Yankees will always be hated. But, to boo a player, especially a player who may be one of the top five in the entire sport who also has an unparalleled work ethic, is just small. It takes away from the supposedly knowledgeable fans who love and respect the game.
The fans seemed to redeem themselves when they paid tribute to Chipper Jones. Jones made his pinch hit appearance and was visibly emotional as the fans stood and cheered. In that moment, fans showed that reputed respect for the history of the sport. Chipper Jones has compiled a Hall of Fame career in an era that is forever stained. Yet, he has managed to keep his dignity and produce. Even at 40 years old, he is the central force in the Braves lineup. The fans did well.
That feeling quickly went away as reports came out that Cano’s family was harassed in the crowd and on their way to the bathroom. There was no violence, but Cano’s family, who were sporting replicas of his jersey, were shouted at, jeered, and treated rudely. All because of a Homerun Derby.
Somewhere we have lost a sense of morality when it comes to sports. Fans feel they have the right to treat athletes as less than human beings. They yell unimaginable things to men. These are men who have families just like us. These are men with relationship problems, family health problems, and the same daily struggles that we have. They make more money than us and they get to play a game that we wish we could play for a living, but they are human beings. Robinson Cano and his family were not treated as such.
That’s a shame as Cano is essentially what is right about the game. He came up as a natural talent, took it for granted, and failed. He then dedicated himself to the sport and has made himself one of the best players in the game. His work ethic and maturity should be celebrated. He plays the game hard. On a team full of stars and big contracts, he is the single most important player. He plays with a smile on his face, runs hard, and has grown into a mentor for younger players.
Instead, Kansas City fans chose to boo him. This is not a case of the media blowing something harmless out of proportion. The fans of Kansas City chose to jeer him. They chose to harass his family. Admittedly, these are not to represent all of Kansas City. But, these fans, on a National stage, showed a type of insecurity and lack of Baseball knowledge and appreciation that makes them look myopic in their view of the sports world. In a stadium where so much good has happened and in a place that housed Buck O’Neill--who would certainly not approve of the fans’ actions--it just seemed all wrong. The behavior of the fans stained the otherwise perfect performance of Kansas City as host of the All-Star Game.
Yet, twitter is littered with unapologetic Royals’ fans. Tweets range from, “I’m proud of our fans” to “I could care less about Robinson Cano’s work ethic”. Mob mentality can certainly cause people to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do, but to be blind to the fact that they harassed a family, booed during the All-Star game over the Home Run derby, and booed a player who does things the right way makes the small town look...well...small. And, that is a shame.
# 16
BIG17EASY @ Jul 12
The other great thing about new media is that "writers" aren't held to a high standard. Therefore, I stand by my earlier words -- good luck.
# 17
inkcil @ Jul 12
Thank you brettford for summing it up perfectly. This was NOT a story about Cano or his family being the vicitm of KC fans or a few KC fans, this was a story about an "uppedy" Yank giving KC fans the big middle finger...and you know what...he got what he deserved. As for his family getting heckled in the stands, heck it's no different that what anyone else goes through when they wear an opposing jersey at another team's stadium.
# 18
inkcil @ Jul 13
By the way Gary, keep writing. Usually the more controversial/opinionated an editorial writer is, the more sucessful they become...
Gary Armida
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