Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
I heckled an Independent League RF playing for the KC T-Bones once. Some 140-lb RH slap hitter came to bat, and the RF was playing way too deep - about 10 feet from the wall. I yelled, "Hey right field, you're way too deep. This guy is going to drop one in front of you for a double."
And, of course, the guy did. He hit a little bloop over 2B, and the RF couldn't get there in time to hold him to a single.
Everyone on the RF stands started laughing.
After the play, I yelled, "Dude, you've gotta listen to me. I can get you out of this backwater league."
He flipped me off.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
I took in a Red Sox-Yankees game in the early 80's at Fenway. Sat out by the Pesky Pole and Dave Winfield was playing RF for the Yankees. It was not long after he hit a sea gull with a throw.
I can't really repeat any of what was said on a family board, but that game opened my eyes to how much Red Sox and Yankees fans don't like each other. There were about 20 guys that were really on Winfield's case all game, alternating between funny and extremely profane. At the end of the game, Winfield turned around and flipped them all off one by one. There was some serius stuff going on and he was pissed.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
My heckling story isn't about a player, but about one I experienced, as I was the one heckled.
The 2010 NLDS in Philly. I went to game 2 and sat with my friend who works for the Phillies. Maybe against my better judgment, I wore my Reds gear to the game. Honest to goodness, I didn't see one other fan at the ballpark with Reds gear on. Maybe everyone who rooted for the Reds knew better.
Thankfully, our seats were in the friends and family section of the ballpark, just a little past 1st base, very close to the field, which was probably much tamer than other areas of the park. I still got heckled some, but it was manageable. I was heckled a lot because I had a Bruce jersey on and as you may remember, he missed an important catch late in that game. Nobody at Citizen's Bank let me forget that. The silver lining was he did hit a home run, which was my response back to those who were heckling.
However, after the game, I walked my friend to her car, which wasn't all that close to my car. In fact, it was a hike. When I got to the halfway point of the walk, a group of 3 guys gave me a very evil eye. One said, "WTF. What are you doing here Cincinnati Reds?" and another said, "Maybe we should walk over to this guy" while the other guy said, "How does it feel to go 20 years without a championship. Maybe a dumb idea in hindsight, but I responded back and said, "How does it feel to have your team be the first to 10,000 losses?"
After that, I started walking very quickly to my car and luckily, there was a decent sized group of people walking in the same direction that was harmless that I tried to blend in with. There was also a traffic cop directing traffic, so I lucked out. It was dark outside and the parking lost was not all that well lit.
Some heckling you can say is fun or funny, but this was not. It was very close to turning dangerous and I became increasingly concerned until I was inside my car with the doors locked.
As a side note, I will say, that game was the most electrifying atmosphere I've ever been a part of at any sports event. They gave out Phillies towels before the game (what a ripoff from the Steelers) and when the Phillies rallied, the towels were just flying by everyone. The crowd was very passionate and into the game. Overall, it was a very good game too, even though the Reds lost.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
I moved down to the diamond seats during a Cubs game in 2003 or 2004. Sosa stepped in and I was probably just jealous or tipsy and the Reds were terrible and losing. I have never liked Sammy Sosa anyway. So I just let him know, YOU SUCK SOSA! (Which actually rolls nicely off the tongue and is fun to yell). I know he heard me, and he actually seemed to feed off it, as he dug his back heel into this next pitch...which landed way beyond the outfield wall for a home run. Your welcome Reds fans.
Without exception I revile "fans" that heckle their own team.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Virginia Beach Reds
A good friend of mine was heckling Griffey down the third base/outfield during a Sat afternoon game a few years ago. The game was rain delayed which allowed extra tailgate time...well you get the idea. My buddy was wearing a Griffey jersey but Griffey dogged a first inning pop fly in the first, and he started to relentlessly remind Griffey he had to hustle every play. This went on for at least three solid defensive innings.
Well, that was the game Griffey threw out a runner at third or home (can't remember) took off his glove and pointed to my buddy that he had 10 gold gloves how many does he have. Later on, he also grabbed his sports cup and signaled over to us. Later in the game, Griffey made the throat slash up to the booth and by Monday, he was traded to Chicago.
A few weeks later, I was at a neighborhood party, when a neighbor who happened to have been traveling to Chicago on a business call, starts to describe a story on sports talk, saying the interaction in right field with a fan started the snowball to the trade. I had to say, well you know that guy was my buddy ...
Your friend is forever dead to me.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
In 2007 I had the chance to watch the reds high A ball club which had several recognizable names, but the draw was one Jay Bruce who was going to leave Sarasota go to AA and then all the way to AAA because he was hitting.
Much of this team had played the previous year at Dayton and the atmosphere in Sarasota was .....different. There were maybe 100 people in the stands. How my kids didn't get a foul ball can only be chalked up to tremendous bad luck or lack of effort on their part.
Included in the crowd, right behind home plate, was the best heckler I have ever heard. Older gentleman with an East Coast accent and a voice that could peel paint off the wall. You could hear him all over the park. Several times players would just break down and laugh at his antics.
Of course the reds left Sarasota, but I do hope that heckler is still there having fun.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dfs
In 2007 I had the chance to watch the reds high A ball club which had several recognizable names, but the draw was one Jay Bruce who was going to leave Sarasota go to AA and then all the way to AAA because he was hitting.
Much of this team had played the previous year at Dayton and the atmosphere in Sarasota was .....different. There were maybe 100 people in the stands. How my kids didn't get a foul ball can only be chalked up to tremendous bad luck or lack of effort on their part.
Included in the crowd, right behind home plate, was the best heckler I have ever heard. Older gentleman with an East Coast accent and a voice that could peel paint off the wall. You could hear him all over the park. Several times players would just break down and laugh at his antics.
Of course the reds left Sarasota, but I do hope that heckler is still there having fun.
Do you happen to remember any of his best lines?
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
A few of my more memorable heckles:
To Todd Coffey (as a Brewer): "Hey Todd, tell your wife and my kids I said hey!"
To Sammy Sosa: "Hey Sosa! See the guy at the plate (it was Griffey Jr.)? He hit his home runs WITHOUT steroids or a corked bat! You suck!"
To Alfonso Soriano: "Soriano, you're my hero! You're living proof that you can be awful at your job and still make a ton of money. God Bless you, good sir!"
Alas, I've given heckling up in the last few years. I'd rather just relax and watch the game. I like to think I was never one of the real irritating hecklers, as I would carefully pick my spots about once or twice game, I never just constantly gave anyone hell. But either way, I'm over it now.
One thing I do not understand is how fans can heckle their own team's players, unless they absolutely 100% have it coming. And even then, I doubt I would. Save the venom for the other team, I say.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dougdirt
Your friend is forever dead to me.
I will let him know. ;)
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tommycash
I was two rows behind you man. I was there. I remember it like it was yesterday, and it was hilarious. I remember he hit a home run and did the throat slash, and riding back home on the radio they kept thinking that it was meant for someone in the media, but we all knew it was for the guy giving him hell over on the first base line.
Were you really? We were annoying some people that night. Good times. Do you remember the opponent that day/night?
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
I absolutely HATE hecklers. They are one of the main reasons I watch more on TV and attend less. If the game I attend is not crowded I move and if it is I speak to an usher. My theory is that they are either inebriated or so insecure that it is a search for their 'fifteen minutes". Either way I do not want to be in their presence.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Not really heckling, but when I first visited North Carolina in 2007 I attended a game between the Charlotte Knights (White Sox AAA) and Durham Bulls (Devil Rays AAA). This was right around/after the trade deadline and the Reds had traded Calvin Medlock and Brian Shackelford to the Rays for Jorge Cantu. Towards the end of the game Medlock and Shack walked by the 3rd base side where I was sitting in the front row and I blurted out "Hey, the Reds shouldn't have traded you guys!" Medlock heard this and just scoffed. I think Shackelford smiled.
I was lying though, I liked the Cantu trade. :lol:
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Check out Matt Diaz and his response to this Mets heckler:
Matt Diaz turns the tables on Heckler - YouTube
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Virginia Beach Reds
Were you really? We were annoying some people that night. Good times. Do you remember the opponent that day/night?
I believe it was the Rockies. I remember that your buddy pissed Griffey off so much that he even stopped playing catch between innings. My buddy and I had a great time that night. You guys were in like the first or second row and we were in the 4th or 5th row behind you. If I remember right, you had a lot of people in your group.
Re: Anyone have any good heckling stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Crosley68
I absolutely HATE hecklers. They are one of the main reasons I watch more on TV and attend less. If the game I attend is not crowded I move and if it is I speak to an usher. My theory is that they are either inebriated or so insecure that it is a search for their 'fifteen minutes". Either way I do not want to be in their presence.
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