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Noble on Louts in the Park

Edgy DC Nov 10 2008 02:56 PM

I'm 61, and I've been a Mets fan going back to when they played at the Polo Grounds. I've always loved being at the ballpark. But in recent years, it has become increasingly unpleasant because of fans who are looking for a reason to tear apart the players on their own team. It began with the opposition becoming "the enemy." When I was a kid, I went to the ballpark with my father if Willie Mays, Hank Aaron or Stan Musial was on the visiting team. They were applauded when they were introduced and when they came to bat. There was a time when I'd have felt jealous of you and other sportswriters. No longer. You couldn't pay me enough to make me deal day after day with the ravings of these fans. -- Bob L., no address provided We are of the same generation, Bob, and we have the same outlook. I wanted to see Vada Pinson, Musial and Eddie Mathews play as much as I wanted to see Mickey Mantle hit one out. And I recall being offended by so-called Yankees fans who jeered Mantle. And when is the last time you remember hearing simple but respectful applause for an opposing starter when he was removed mid-inning? That was routine in the '50s and into the '70s. Goose Gossage and Kevin McReynolds expressed thoughts similar to each other's when they left New York the first time. Gossage said he could see "hatred" in the eyes of fans at Yankee Stadium, and McReynolds said he believed Mets fans wanted them not to succeed if absolute success were not available. I doubt the majority of fans behave that way, but 10,000 boos are quite audible in crowd of 50,000 otherwise cheering fans. Thanks for the thoughts. Did this golden era of fan sportsmanship ever exist? I get the idea that it didn't so much between fans of Brooklyn and New York (N), but maybe.

metirish Nov 10 2008 05:21 PM

The old days were the best it seems in everything in life , having said that I can't imagine fans acted like they do now back in the day.

Nymr83 Nov 10 2008 06:16 PM

]And when is the last time you remember hearing simple but respectful applause for an opposing starter when he was removed mid-inning? That was routine in the '50s and into the '70s. whether this was ever true or not i don't know, but if its gone you can blame the clubs that start playing "hit the road jack" and similiar things over the PA system before you blame the fans.

Elster88 Nov 10 2008 06:29 PM

Whatever. See Maris, R., 1961.

SteveJRogers Nov 10 2008 08:03 PM

Elster88 wrote: Whatever. See Maris, R., 1961. Also see Mantle, M., 1951-1960

Fman99 Nov 10 2008 08:20 PM

Frayed Knot Nov 10 2008 08:57 PM

"McReynolds said he believed Mets fans wanted them not to succeed if absolute success were not available." This is something I think is more true than it used to be. Today's fan seems more likely to view seasons as falling into one of two categories: WS win, or utter failure worthy of intense anger directed at those deemed responsible. And, since anything short of a title is unacceptable, a 65 win season is no worse than one with 95 wins and is in some ways better since it doesn't involve late season teasing or letdown. In the case of the McReynolds era I think he was experiencing fans weaned on the success of '86 who now expected titles every season. More recently the anger comes via comparisons to the Yanqui and Brave runs of the late '90s. The whole appreciating the out of town player topic got some play last week when Michael Jordan was at some Knick game (I guess he's part of the Charlotte team's mgmt) and got an ovation at the Garden. This apparently ticked off a number of Knicks fans based on the idea that he did nothing but beat the Knicks and win championships during his playing days and therefore is more worthy of booing than applause. Jordan the icon can't be Jordan the icon here the reasoning goes because he wasn't our icon.

Elster88 Nov 11 2008 12:02 AM

SteveJRogers wrote: ="Elster88"]Whatever. See Maris, R., 1961. Also see Mantle, M., 1951-1960 What are you babbling about

Iubitul Nov 11 2008 04:53 AM

Elster88 wrote: ="SteveJRogers"] Elster88 wrote: Whatever. See Maris, R., 1961. Also see Mantle, M., 1951-1960 What are you babbling about Mantle really wasn't a fan favorite until Maris showed up. The Yankee fans looked at him, and saw that he wasn't DiMaggio.

G-Fafif Nov 11 2008 06:24 AM

Respectful applause for the opposition's stars and standout plays was ruined by the proliferation of clueless frontrunners in expensive batting practice jerseys who swarmed Shea during the steroid-driven home run bonanza. And by certain perennial facets of Interleague play and the crowd it brought in.

MFS62 Nov 11 2008 06:42 AM

metirish wrote: The old days were the best it seems in everything in life , having said that I can't imagine fans acted like they do now back in the day. Guess you never attended a Giants/ Dodgers game. Later

Vince Coleman Firecracker Nov 11 2008 07:17 AM

What's wrong with booing the opposing team? Isn't that who you're supposed to boo? Isn't booing just as much harmless fun as cheering? I used to boo Tony Gwynn, just cuz no one else would. Boo!

Edgy DC Nov 11 2008 07:22 AM

I'm telling you, let's usher in a new era of class and sportsmanship, and get "Bob L., no address provided" back into the park. Somebody wrote over in the NBF how embarrassed he was to bring his father to a Giants game, like he hadn't realized how bad things had gotten until he saw the mookocracy through his dad's eyes. The same thing happened to my brother when he brought my dad to a Knicks game. I think they left at halftime, and then it was as much the desensitizing audiovisuals as it was the crowd. Non-douchebaggery begins at home.

duan Nov 11 2008 08:29 AM

i don't like booing full stop. For a bush league slide or something maybe, but other then that I don't like it. I do however find the "lllllaaaaaarrrryyyy" or indeed what was said way back when I saw the Mets and the Padres "Vaaaaaauuuughhhhhhnnnnn" thing funny and not objectionable. it's also good when the opposition players give the little wave like Greg did in the game I saw.

soupcan Nov 11 2008 09:07 AM

If and when I boo, it's simply 'BOOOOOOO!' And I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. My 9 year-old is a bit more creative. At a Mets - Phillies game this past summer he yelled to Pat Burrell - 'Hey Pat the Bat - you stink so bad you need to take a shower!'

themetfairy Nov 11 2008 09:13 AM

soupcan wrote: If and when I boo, it's simply 'BOOOOOOO!' And I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. My 9 year-old is a bit more creative. At a Mets - Phillies game this past summer he yelled to Pat Burrell - 'Hey Pat the Bat - you stink so bad you need to take a shower!' I'm fine with that kind of stuff. It's silly, but harmless. There are lines that I don't like seeing crossed, though, where booing becomes crass harassment. But a simple Boooo doesn't bother me - I think most opposing players just figure that kind of thing comes with the territory when you're playing in a visiting park.

Kong76 Nov 11 2008 09:29 AM

http://www.heckledepot.com/

batmagadanleadoff Nov 11 2008 09:32 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 11 2008 09:50 AM

I was at the game in 1978 when Pete Rose was honored at Shea for either tying or breaking Tommy Holmes' consecutive hit streak record. Rose received strong cheers from the Met crowd -- it was the first time Rose was treated with any kind of kindness at Shea since the '73 RoseBud incident. I didn't cheer Rose on that day and also resented the very friendly reception Rose received. To me, Rose was now an unforgivable enemy of the Mets. To my knowledge though, after that 1978 game, Rose was never booed again at Shea with the same intensity that Met fans established after "the fight".

holychicken Nov 11 2008 09:45 AM

I don't mind the booing of the opposing team, but the hatred for those on your own team and the booing them when they come into the game (read: Mets BP) absolutely disgusts me. . . and, as Frayed Knot said, the hating eople deemed responsible for not winning the WS (read: Beltran looking in 2006). Also, how it seems so many fans are LOOKING for an A-Rod on the team. "He is not clutch" "all of the runs he produces are in spots that don't count." Honestly, I am getting so sick of the term "clutch" that I might stab a puppy the next time someone uses it. /end rant