Raul Mondesi: dodgerblues.com
When I wrote about the infamous "Ten Cent Beer Night", it wasn't the last time a game was forfeited by the home team due to conduct of the fans.
(http://www.johnpielli.com/1/post/2012/06/fable-of-the-infamous-10-cent-beer-night-on-its-38-yr-anniversary.html) Of course, we all know of the disco demolition night on July 12th, 1979. But just 17 years ago, in a promotion that may not have seemed to be as idiotic, the Dodgers had "ball day", giving all attending fans a ball as they entered the park. Seems pretty harmless, right?
(http://www.johnpielli.com/1/post/2012/06/fable-of-the-infamous-10-cent-beer-night-on-its-38-yr-anniversary.html) Of course, we all know of the disco demolition night on July 12th, 1979. But just 17 years ago, in a promotion that may not have seemed to be as idiotic, the Dodgers had "ball day", giving all attending fans a ball as they entered the park. Seems pretty harmless, right?
The game seemed to be going fine as the Cardinals were staked to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning. Then, Raul Mondesi struck out swinging. He wound up getting ejected for arguing the previous two strike calls with home plate umpire Jim Quick. On a 3-0 pitch, Mondesi started to first base only to have the pitched called a strike. It was contended that an outside pitch was called a strike in retaliation for Quick being shown up. Manager Tommy Lasorda came out on the field to let Quick hear it, leading to his own ejection. (Just an inning earlier, Quick had ejected Dodgers 1B Eric Karros for arguing a called strike.) Fans then started throwing their souvenir balls on the field, with as many as 200 balls being thrown at one time. The umpires seemed to waste little time sending the Cardinals, who were of course on the field, back to their dugout.
The game was briefly delayed in the 7th inning when some balls had been thrown on the field. After the Cardinals returned to the field, fans continued to throw balls on the field, giving the umpires little choice then to forfeit the game to the Cardinals. Tom Henke, who recorded just the first out of the inning, was given a save. Mike Jorgensen was managing the CardinalsThis occured on August 10th, 1995.
Of course, the crew chief of that game had to be none other than Bob Davidson, who obviously called for the forfeit. Davidson did nothing to have an announcement made that they game would result in a forfeit if anything else was thrown on the field. Bob Davidson thinks people come to see Bob Davidson; he wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, Davidson blamed Lasorda for the incident, saying "Lasorda instigated it, waving his fat little arms." Yet, balls were being thrown on the field as early as the 7th inning. Stay classy, Bob Davidson.
Personally, I think its a little silly for teams to stop doing promotions like this. Perhaps we live in a day and age where giving out a bat to as many as 25,000 fans should not happen again. But to not give out baseballs is a little too much. I agree that the home fans should be responsible for their actions. When the Dodgers fans started throwing the balls on the field, they were putting the results of the game at risk, similar to fans who storm the field while intoxicated. They ones involved should be held accountable, but ball day or ball night should not be eliminated.
The game was briefly delayed in the 7th inning when some balls had been thrown on the field. After the Cardinals returned to the field, fans continued to throw balls on the field, giving the umpires little choice then to forfeit the game to the Cardinals. Tom Henke, who recorded just the first out of the inning, was given a save. Mike Jorgensen was managing the CardinalsThis occured on August 10th, 1995.
Of course, the crew chief of that game had to be none other than Bob Davidson, who obviously called for the forfeit. Davidson did nothing to have an announcement made that they game would result in a forfeit if anything else was thrown on the field. Bob Davidson thinks people come to see Bob Davidson; he wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, Davidson blamed Lasorda for the incident, saying "Lasorda instigated it, waving his fat little arms." Yet, balls were being thrown on the field as early as the 7th inning. Stay classy, Bob Davidson.
Personally, I think its a little silly for teams to stop doing promotions like this. Perhaps we live in a day and age where giving out a bat to as many as 25,000 fans should not happen again. But to not give out baseballs is a little too much. I agree that the home fans should be responsible for their actions. When the Dodgers fans started throwing the balls on the field, they were putting the results of the game at risk, similar to fans who storm the field while intoxicated. They ones involved should be held accountable, but ball day or ball night should not be eliminated.
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