Rickey Henderson is a farging corksucker

[st.cronin]

dola

trust me

[Glengoyne]

Five pages seems only reasonable given the significance of this topic.

Rickey Henderson is a tool.

That said. He did nothing wrong here.

Those critical of him for even catching the ball are, in my opinion, lacking to place the event in the context of Rickey being a fan attending a game. Does he really spell his name with an "E"? He really is a tool. In any case, yeah, the guy is at a game as a fan and a ball is hit to him. Can you not see the novelty in that context? What if his too long career in major league baseball has not jaded him to the extent that a ball hit by a major league ball player carries no worth to him? Cut the guy some slack.

Oh and while this has nothing to do with the thread. I've always believed that the day that Rickey broke the stolen base record was one of the greatest days in the history of sports. Primarilly because before the ink was dry on Rickey's self proclamation that he was the best of all time, Nolan Ryan through a no hitter, and completely stole the show. Rickey became second page news, and I cherish the memory.

[Rizon]

I to this day think that sitting in the stands at the Coliseum and watching Ricky take off for 2nd base was the most exciting things in sports.

That and Martin kicking dirt on umps.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Is it the one who you accidently set a meeting up with in Outlook?

No, the woman in the meeting is much, much younger.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Does he really spell his name with an "E"? He really is a tool. .

Actually, I'm pretty sure that would be his parents. Can't be too sure, though. I suppose he could have named himself right out of the womb. He was a pretty special talent.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

No, the woman in the meeting is much, much younger.

You are such a player.

[Hammer755]

I got a ball during BP at the HR Derby in 2004. I showed up early enough where I was in the front row of the left field SRO in MMP, just above the visitor's bullpen. Right beside me was a guy and his daughter, who was 8 or so and obviously a huge baseball fan. She was at the Derby because she was part of the MLB version of the Punt, Pass, & Kick contest held before the festivities.

Some scrub from the AL (Ken Harvey, IIRC) hit a ball deep to left that bounced off the wall. One of the players scooped up the carom and chucked it up over the fence right into my glove. After pondering it for a moment, I gave the ball to the little girl and she was thrilled. A few batters later, Derek Jeter did the same thing, bouncing a ball off the wall that was tossed into the crowd. The girl's dad caught the ball and gave it to me. Karma is a good thing.

I've been pretty lucky in terms of foul balls. In addition to the Derby ball, I have a ball from a college game, a AA game, a couple from here in Houston and one from a Rangers game, which was the best. I was in the upper deck just behind third base and Rusty Greer fouled on in my vicinity. I reached up and snagged it with my bare hand.

[Logan]

Are we sharing foul ball stories?

When I was 7 years old, I was at Shea for Mets-Giants...1990. Great day at the park because Gary Carter (favorite ex-Met) was playing for the Giants back then. Sitting in the mezzanine behind home plate with my family...we're 2 or 3 rows back, and to our right are a couple empty seats and then a father with his baby. At some point, a foul ball comes straight back into our section, and to our right. The other father jumps up, tracks the ball, and LOBS HIS BABY into my father's arms from 3 seats away. He then climbed over about 3 rows and countless people and digs around for the ball. He didn't get it.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by Logan

Are we sharing foul ball stories?

When I was 7 years old, I was at Shea for Mets-Giants...1990. Great day at the park because Gary Carter (favorite ex-Met) was playing for the Giants back then. Sitting in the mezzanine behind home plate with my family...we're 2 or 3 rows back, and to our right are a couple empty seats and then a father with his baby. At some point, a foul ball comes straight back into our section, and to our right. The other father jumps up, tracks the ball, and LOBS HIS BABY into my father's arms from 3 seats away. He then climbed over about 3 rows and countless people and digs around for the ball. He didn't get it.

Puts Ricky's actions in perspective.

[Greyroofoo]

Ricky Henderson 1
Kid 0

The kid got fricken pwned!!!!!!!

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

When I was two years old, foul ball was headed right to me at a Dodger game. Problem is, we were seated back near the overhang for the next deck up, and a guy leaned over and snagged the ball on its downward path.

I reacted about like most two year olds would, but I survived.

This kid will too.

this entire story is fabricated. that, or you weren't two years old. you want to say you were barely out of your diapers and you can recall where you sat.

the guy who snagged the ball - what was he wearing?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Logan

Are we sharing foul ball stories?

When I was 7 years old, I was at Shea for Mets-Giants...1990. Great day at the park because Gary Carter (favorite ex-Met) was playing for the Giants back then. Sitting in the mezzanine behind home plate with my family...we're 2 or 3 rows back, and to our right are a couple empty seats and then a father with his baby. At some point, a foul ball comes straight back into our section, and to our right. The other father jumps up, tracks the ball, and LOBS HIS BABY into my father's arms from 3 seats away. He then climbed over about 3 rows and countless people and digs around for the ball. He didn't get it.

so you want me to believe someone threw their baby into the arms of a stranger 3 ROWS AWAY for a foul ball. this is what you're saying?


what is this - make up silly unbelievable stories day?

[Anthony]

i was at one game at Shea, too. i remember this one time this guy sitting next to me had his little infant in his arms. so Todd Hundley hits a foul ball and it's headed in our direction, but it was apparent it was gonna sail over our heads. so this guy took his infant and tossed it into the air at the exact moment the ball was flying over our heads and the infant knocked it down. the guy wound up catching both the foul ball and the infant and the entire Stadium went wild.


ok, this *is* fun. who's next?

[MalcPow]

I just started reading this but I totally agree that if the kid wasn't black this whole thing would be a non-story.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

so you want me to believe someone threw their baby into the arms of a stranger 3 ROWS AWAY for a foul ball. this is what you're saying?


what is this - make up silly unbelievable stories day?

You live in fucking Astoria. You've never met someone who would sacrifice their baby for a foul ball?

And it wasn't 3 ROWS AWAY...it was 3 SEATS AWAY...dick.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

i was at one game at Shea, too. i remember this one time this guy sitting next to me had his little infant in his arms. so Todd Hundley hits a foul ball and it's headed in our direction, but it was apparent it was gonna sail over our heads. so this guy took his infant and tossed it into the air at the exact moment the ball was flying over our heads and the infant knocked it down. the guy wound up catching both the foul ball and the infant and the entire Stadium went wild.


ok, this *is* fun. who's next?

I remember seeing that on Web Gems. That was awesome.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

this entire story is fabricated. that, or you weren't two years old. you want to say you were barely out of your diapers and you can recall where you sat.

the guy who snagged the ball - what was he wearing?

Couldn't tell you what deck we were on, or where in the stadium we were.

Here's what I remember. Crack of the bat. Look up. Here comes a baseball. I've got my glove up, hot dog, I'm going to catch a ball!

Dude leans over the railing above me, snags the ball. Where'd my ball go? Dude, this sucks.

What was he wearing? Hell if I know. I'm nearsighted, and that wasn't corrected with glasses until I was 8 or 9.

But I can see a baseball when it's coming towards me, and I can see a human body lean over a railing. I'm nearsighted, not blind.

Just like you're mentally deficient, not brain-dead. Subtle distinction, but an important one!

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

No! I don't care who he gives it to! It's the fact that a MLB player would care whether he kept a foul ball. It's the fact that he acted like my 3-year old in claiming the ball was "his" when he has access to a pile of MLB baseballs at home. It has nothing to do with the relative value of the foul ball versus the signed ball, either - irrelevant. It's the simple fact that he caught the ball to begin with and felt compelled to keep it.

Where the hell on the ticket stub does it say if an adult catches a ball they have to give it to a whiny little bastard sitting next to them?

I'm pretty sure if mommy and daddy were able to afford tickets on the field level of a MLB game, they can afford to get the kid a damn baseball. It's not like these balls are hot commodities, they are easily obtainable through normal channels. The way some of you are acting, you'd think Rickey fought over the ball or punched out a kid to acquire it.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

i was at one game at Shea, too. i remember this one time this guy sitting next to me had his little infant in his arms. so Todd Hundley hits a foul ball and it's headed in our direction, but it was apparent it was gonna sail over our heads. so this guy took his infant and tossed it into the air at the exact moment the ball was flying over our heads and the infant knocked it down. the guy wound up catching both the foul ball and the infant and the entire Stadium went wild.


ok, this *is* fun. who's next?

I still dislike you, but that was really funny.

[Ksyrup]

This is fascinating stuff, in an "I have no life" kinda way. But the last 45 seconds or so illustrates why it is so ridiculous for Rickey Henderson to want to keep a foul ball.

And no, I still haven't let this issue go, motherfuckers!

[MikeVic]

edit again: No, I disagree with you. The fan explains the feeling you get from catching a foul ball. Rickey could've felt the same way.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

edit again: No, I disagree with you. The fan explains the feeling you get from catching a foul ball. Rickey could've felt the same way.

The feeling he describes is of a nobody who gets to feel the rush/excitement of touching a ball a major league player touched, feeling like the 10th fielder, and having all eyes in the park focused on him. He feels special. Rickey felt 1 million times those feelings as the legit center of attention for 20+ years. He cannot, by definition, experience those feelings.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The feeling he describes is of a nobody who gets to feel the rush/excitement of touching a ball a major league player touched, feeling like the 10th fielder, and having all eyes in the park focused on him. He feels special. Rickey felt 1 million times those feelings as the legit center of attention for 20+ years. He cannot, by definition, experience those feelings.

You are a loon.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The feeling he describes is of a nobody who gets to feel the rush/excitement of touching a ball a major league player touched, feeling like the 10th fielder, and having all eyes in the park focused on him. He feels special. Rickey felt 1 million times those feelings as the legit center of attention for 20+ years. He cannot, by definition, experience those feelings.

I disagree. So you're saying athletes can't look at other athletes or the sport in amazement, just because they play the sport for a living?

[Ksyrup]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. Rickey did not experience those feelings, guaranteed. He couldn't, because no matter how long he stays retired from baseball, he will never be an Average Joe who can only experience what it feels like to be a major league player by living that life vicariously through touching a foul ball.

Goddamn I love this thread. This is probably the pinnacle of arguing over nothing just for the sake of arguing.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I disagree. So you're saying athletes can't look at other athletes or the sport in amazement, just because they play the sport for a living?

Now wait a second. One thing we can be pretty certain about is that Rickey Henders does not look at other athletes in amazement. The guy thinks he's the greatest and still thinks he's good enough to play in the majors.

More importantly, did the article or thread ever discuss whether Henderson wore a baseball mitt to the game. Because if he did that, then I think everyone on this thread needs to apologize to rkmsuf and Ksyrup.

[st.cronin]

I submit that Rickey's inner world is completely inaccessible to us. His behavior, while eccentric, is neither harmful nor distasteful.

[stevew]

that guy is almost as big of a liar as that one bitch who supposedly hit 18some hole-in-one's in a year.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Goddamn I love this thread. This is probably the pinnacle of arguing over nothing just for the sake of arguing.

I agree.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I submit that Rickey's inner world is completely inaccessible to us. His behavior, while eccentric, is neither harmful nor distasteful.

Yes. Who are we to judge how Rickey feels? If he says he's wanted to experience this his entire life, then let him.

[stevew]

let rickey be rickey. or

what better random foul ball or signed ball by future hall of famer

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

This is fascinating stuff, in an "I have no life" kinda way. But the last 45 seconds or so illustrates why it is so ridiculous for Rickey Henderson to want to keep a foul ball.

And no, I still haven't let this issue go, motherfuckers!

This guy is just a plain loser. I don't see how this shows what is so ridiculous about Ricky wanted to keep the ball.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Now wait a second. One thing we can be pretty certain about is that Rickey Henders does not look at other athletes in amazement. The guy thinks he's the greatest and still thinks he's good enough to play in the majors.

Maybe Rickey gets a rush from catching a foul ball in the same way the Aztec Gods would get a rush from a human sacrifice. He views it that his lessers are paying him tribute by ocassionally sending a ball his way.

There is no way you peasants will ever be able to feel that rush. The feeling of your minions paying tribute to you.

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

This is fascinating stuff, in an "I have no life" kinda way. But the last 45 seconds or so illustrates why it is so ridiculous for Rickey Henderson to want to keep a foul ball.

And no, I still haven't let this issue go, motherfuckers!

He can ask for a ball in 27 different languages including sign-language? LOL, that cracked me up.

[MikeVic]

What if Rickey Henderson get the ball instead of the son of that guy. Would your opinion change?

[MikeVic]

And the guy uses an argument that it makes him feel like a ball player or some shit right? How is ASKING FOR A FREAKING BALL making you feel like a ball player? Does Manny Ramirez ask Derek Jeter to pass him a ball?