Boy Who Lost Foul Ball to Man Gets Gifts

[sahyder1]

Boy Who Lost Foul Ball to Man Gets Gifts

ARLINGTON, Texas - A 4-year-old boy who lost a foul ball to a not-so-grown-up adult is getting a windfall worthy of a game-winning home run hitter.

A man sitting behind Nick O'Brien at a Texas Rangers (news) baseball game Sunday knocked the boy against the seats as he dived to get a foul ball. Fans started chanting "Give him the ball!" but the man wouldn't give it up.

"I couldn't believe someone would do something like that to a 4-year-old boy," said Nick's mother, Edie O'Brien.

O'Brien said she swatted the man with a cardboard fan and called him a jerk, among other names. "I said, 'You trampled a 4-year-old boy to get this ball,' and he said, 'Oh, well,'" she told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, adding that the man seemed proud he got the ball.

Video shows Nick was standing up as the man dived across the boy's seat to grab the ball at Nick's feet. The man's leg strikes the boy, and the boy is jostled a second time as the man stands up with the ball and appears to exchange words with the mother.

Nick wasn't hurt, but fan outrage mushroomed, and even Rangers announcer Tom Grieve voiced his disapproval on TV, calling the man "the biggest jerk in this park." The man and a woman with him left before the game was over.

Meanwhile, the Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals (news) quickly made sure Nick got souvenirs of his own — two bats and four baseballs, including one signed by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, a former Ranger.

Cardinals outfielder Reggie Sanders came out between innings to give Nick a bat and ball. "In my heart, I thought I should do something," said Sanders. "It's all about the kids."

The man who took the foul ball has not responded publicly to the criticism, but The Dallas Morning News identified him as Matt Starr, a married, 28-year-old landscaper and former youth minister.

Starr is "not the bad guy he's been made out to be," said Rick DuBose, senior pastor of the Sachse Assembly of God Church. "He probably got a little aggressive and did something he regrets. But that's not Matt. He's a good kid, a good young man."

On "Good Morning America," host Charles Gibson gave the O'Briens more souvenirs Wednesday — this time from the New York Mets (news). The family got tickets to Wednesday night's game against the Cleveland Indians (news).

"Wow," Nick responded.

Anyone see this on ESPN. What an idiot that guy was. Pushed a little kid aside to get the foul ball and then refused to admit he did anything wrong when the whole thing is on tape.

[TheArsenal]

I just saw the video.

That guy sucks.

[ROC]

He should've given the kid the ball. The kid clearly was going to get it and dang it, it's a kid for God's sake. He is an a**hole. Nice to see the team showered the kid with gifts. Also, this has to be the biggest news involving the Rangers since they traded A-Rod.

[sahyder1]

Also, this has to be the biggest news involving the Rangers since they traded A-Rod.

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Incase you didn't notice they've been doing some winning this year.

[DMN in the House]

If it had been my kid, I would have kicked the guys ass.

[Lowerdeck]

The kid somehow ended up in New York and got Mets tickets.

Do you really want that?

[Guest TheTokenWhiteGuy]

Oh the poor boy, now hes going to have to settle for a nolan ryan autographed ball, instead of some dirty hit ball, and he gets a few bats. Looks like it worked out well for the boy.

[Media 2.0]

Eh...evidently it's just me, but this is one of those shrug your shoulders things. I mean, yea I understand he snatched it away from a kid...but when it's two or more adults fighting each other for it...no one says anything? It's not like the kid got the ball and then the guy punched him in the head and took or anything I doubt. (haven't seen video) And I'm guessing the kid wouldn't have been able to do much with it anyways...but anyways worked out well for the kid...so there was no reason for everyone to jump on the guy...when probaly 90% of the other people in the park would have done the same thing.

[sahyder1]

Eh...evidently it's just me, but this is one of those shrug your shoulders things. I mean, yea I understand he snatched it away from a kid...but when it's two or more adults fighting each other for it...no one says anything? It's not like the kid got the ball and then the guy punched him in the head and took or anything I doubt. (haven't seen video) And I'm guessing the kid wouldn't have been able to do much with it anyways...but anyways worked out well for the kid...so there was no reason for everyone to jump on the guy...when probaly 90% of the other people in the park would have done the same thing.

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2 Adults fighting and one guy jumping over a seat pushing a kid in the process are two completely different things. Go pick on someone your own size....simple as that. The kid would do the samething with a foul ball that a grown up would.....keep it. Heck, the kid would even put it to use playing wiht it.

[Mishmow]

The kid wasn't even going for the ball....I loved the guy's gf's reaction!

[sahyder1]

Man Says He Will Give Foul Ball to Boy

56 minutes ago 

By MATT CURRY, Associated Press Writer

The Texas baseball fan who prompted a public outcry when he knocked aside a 4-year-old to get a foul ball now says he will give the ball to the youngster.

Matt Starr has also agreed to send a letter of apology to the family of Nick O'Brien and buy his family tickets to future Texas Rangers (news) games, club official John Blake said Wednesday.

"The fan let it be known to us that he wanted to give the ball back, and we informed the family that it indeed is going to happen," said Blake, Rangers senior vice president.

Club spokesman Gregg Elkin said the Rangers did not orchestrate Starr's decision.

"He did this on his own, through an intermediary," Elkin said. "Someone that knows him said, 'Hey, he wants to do this, can you help him get it to the O'Briens?' and that's all we're doing."

No one answered the telephone at Starr's home on Wednesday evening, and he has not publicly responded to the criticism. The Dallas Morning News identified him as a married, 28-year-old landscaper and former youth minister.

Starr is "not the bad guy he's been made out to be," Rick DuBose, senior pastor of the Sachse Assembly of God Church, told the newspaper. "He probably got a little aggressive and did something he regrets. But that's not Matt. He's a good kid, a good young man."

Even before Starr's apparent change of heart over the ball, Nick had been getting a windfall worthy of a game-winning home run hitter.

Starr, who was sitting behind Nick at a Texas Rangers baseball game Sunday, knocked the boy against the seats as he dived to get the foul ball. Fans started chanting "Give him the ball!" but he wouldn't give it up.

"I couldn't believe someone would do something like that to a 4-year-old boy," said Nick's mother, Edie O'Brien.

O'Brien said she swatted the man with a cardboard fan and called him a jerk, among other names. "I said, 'You trampled a 4-year-old boy to get this ball,' and he said, 'Oh, well,'" she told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, adding that the man seemed proud he got the ball.

Video shows Nick was standing up as the man dived across the boy's seat to grab the ball at Nick's feet. Starr's leg strikes the boy, and the boy is jostled a second time as the man stands up with the ball and appears to exchange words with the mother.

Nick wasn't hurt, but fan outrage mushroomed, and even Rangers announcer Tom Grieve voiced his disapproval on television, calling Starr "the biggest jerk in this park." The man and a woman with him left before the game was over.

Meanwhile, the Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals (news) quickly made sure Nick got souvenirs of his own — two bats and four baseballs, including one signed by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, a former Ranger.

Cardinals outfielder Reggie Sanders came out between innings to give Nick a bat and ball. "In my heart, I thought I should do something," said Sanders. "It's all about the kids."

On "Good Morning America," host Charles Gibson gave the O'Briens more souvenirs Wednesday — this time from the New York Mets (news). The family got tickets to Wednesday night's game against the Cleveland Indians (news).

"Wow," Nick said.

I think its written by the same guy and he just added stuff on it at the top. Guess the guy realized he went from a fan getting a foul ball to "the biggest jerk in the ballpark"

[Guest Hit Man 3120]

The kid had no clue what was going on. He wasn't going for it and was oblivous to the situation.

[Fitzy]

The kid had no clue what was going on.  He wasn't going for it and was oblivous to the situation.

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Are you seriously stupid? Do you go into every thread on this board and troll in it? The fact that he actually hit the kid, ad then refused to say he was wrong is all that needs to be said. You are a moron.

[Your Mom]

Guy made a mistake and he finally owned up to it. I think all of us would take a kick to the head for all the goodies this little boy got

[Guest Hit Man 3120]

Are you seriously stupid? Do you go into every thread on this board and troll in it? The fact that he actually hit the kid, ad then refused to say he was wrong is all that needs to be said. You are a moron.

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The fact everyone is saying he stole the ball from the kid is just nuts. Should the guy said he was sorry, yes.....but its not like he went up to the kid and knocked him over purposely. The guys foot grazed the kid, who still didn't know or care. And the fact that this kids mother is whoring him out, putting him on Good Morning America is just sick

[sahyder1]

The fact everyone is saying he stole the ball from the kid is just nuts.  Should the guy said he was sorry, yes.....but its not like he went up to the kid and knocked him over purposely.  The guys foot grazed the kid, who still didn't know or care.  And the fact that this kids mother is whoring him out, putting him on Good Morning America is just sick

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He jumped over his damn seat and practically fell in the mother's lap. And then he insists he did nothing wrong. Give me a break. It's simple courtesy, give a 4 year old the ball right there. Show some class. The broadcaster said it best "Every ballpark has a jerk, and he's the biggest one here today"

[oldskool]

Everybody thinks he's a jerk except the kid.

Seriously, would you rather have one foul ball, or get bumped into a couple of times by somebody at least twice your size, and get two bats and four baseballs, one autographed by Nolan Ryan (that ball alone will go for HUGE money someday, seeing as it's all over the news)?

And it's not like he deliberately went after the kid to get the ball, he went after the ball (like most people would) and the kid was in the way.

You could go to all 81 home games and get maybe 2 or 3 foul balls anywhere NEAR where you're sitting (depending on where you sit).

Would you go after a ball hit that close to you if you a) thought you had a chance at it, and B) knew you probably wouldn't get a chance like this for who knows how long (assuming you get another one at all)?

Edited June 17, 2004 by oldskool

[sahyder1]

Seriously, would you rather have one foul ball, or get bumped into a couple of times by somebody at least twice your size, and get two bats and four baseballs, one autographed by Nolan Ryan (that ball alone will go for HUGE money someday, seeing as it's all over the news)?

Getting the autographs wasn't a guarantee when the kid got knocked.

And it's not like he deliberately went after the kid to get the ball, he went after the ball

That's part of the point. Watch where you're going. That lady could've had a kid in her arms right there. What if it's a elderly couple sitting there?

Would you go after a ball hit that close to you if you a) thought you had a chance at it, and B) knew you probably wouldn't get a chance like this for who knows how long (assuming you get another one at all)?

You don't need to jump a seat, fall almost into an old lady's lap knocking a 4 year old kid in the process and then acting like you did nothing wrong. There comes a time when a line is crossed and that guy crossed it, plain and simple.

[VerbalPuke]

I think some people might be missing the point here. The fact is, this guy was a fucking asshole for scrambling over the top of a person for a foul ball. A fucking foul ball, is it really that important to get a foul ball, so important that you could cause injury to somebody (be it a little boy/girl, middle aged person, or senior citizen). I don't think their is any justification for nearly harming a person for a greedy purpose (Yes, I believe jumping over a person and nearly kicking them in the face for a foul ball can constitute as greed). My guess is this Matt fellow didn't go after the ball thinking "Well if I grab this ball, then more than likely, people will see me as an asshole, and shower this young boy with nice gifts". This Matt fellow went after the ball out of greed. It is refreshing that he has admitted he was wrong, and will give the ball to the boy.

[sirdavinator]

Forget names, I just give him the finger and tell him to fuck off.