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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, dalberghetti; 107 anonymousDiscussion: Was it stupidity or lack of moral values??
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| Feb. 22, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | Was it stupidity or lack of moral values?? Vent on SSUSA tournament in Phoenix this weekend, playing at Desert West. We played poorly Sunday and I walked out of the dugout a little disappointed, leaving my glove behind. About 5 minutes later I realized what I had done and returned to the dugout to retrieve it. The next team was already in the field and a couple of the guys on the bench helped me look for it. Very pleasent typical seniors. It was nowhere to be found so one of the guys suggested that I wait until his players came in. Cool. When they all came in, he asked them if anyone had seen it. I was standing right there looking for some response. Nothing. OK, obviously someone from my team picked it up (even though I called them (they were still in the parking lot celebrating our defeat). I go to the parking lot and talk to everyone, face to face and MAKE them check their bags. I phoned the two guys who left and found out that none of them had it. I went back to the park and checked with the field staff to see if someone had turned it in. Nothing. OK...I left it in the dugout for five minutes and now it's gone. The only place left to go was back to the dugout. The team was coming in from the field and I went into the dugout one more time and explained everything to the guy who was helping me before. He asks again and I ask again "Did someone accidentally pick up my glove from last game?". This guy goes to his bag, unzips it and pulls out my glove. WTF? I was pissed and I am sure that some his teammates were embarrassed. I flew off the handle a bit using the terms thief and Dbag. Words were exchange as I walked out to the parking lot with some fat non player following me for a few steps until he got winded. So....what I really want to know is...why would someone pick up a glove left on the bench from the team that played 5 minutes before? After I calmed down I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't hear us the first time we asked, but still....how do you justify something loke that? It was a AAA team from New Mexico and I am sure that all the other guys on the team had enough decency not to pull anything like that, but to the guy who did it, what is his reasoning? I would like to think this is an isolated incident buy in the worlds here last year, one of my teammates lost an Ultra 2 to the opposing team. We were last team to bat and the bat was left on the field near the plate. We shook hands and started picking up our gear when we noticed the missing bat. There are only two places for the bat to go. With us or with them.....unless the umpire took it. After I helped physically check ALL of our players bags (things do get unintentionally picked up) we realized that it must be in one of their bags. We went to our opponents (a So Cal AA team) and asked for their cooperation but no one bothered to open their bags. I talked to several players, one on one and they assured me that they would make sure that everyone checked their bags. The bat never turned up. Don't pick up things that do not belong to you. Accidents do happen but when you discover you have someone's equipment, show some balls and give it back to them. To the So Cal player that ended up with a 30 OZ U2 and the NM guy who felt it was OK to stick my glove in his bag, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Vent off |
| Feb. 22, 2009 4x4 Men's 65 601 posts | That man is a THIEF and now his team is well aware of it. Either they all swim in the same pond as the same or he should be asked to leave. I wouldn't trust him enough to keep him around ANYTHING to do with the team, equipment, wallets, money, watches, wives and their property. Ask some of the guys from a well known M+ Florida team what it does to a team they had one they had to smoke out. The guilty party there never has played since. |
| Feb. 22, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | That's right Pete, too bad we didn't catch him before he made off with a Rolex and at least a couple of thousand dollars! |
| Feb. 22, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Hey Bruce, Rolex and a couple of grand in the dugout? I gotta start hanging around with those guys. Seriously, that's a terrible thing to have happened. It happened to me one time and it was one of the guys on my own team I had to smoke out. How do you like them apples? Hey Pete. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 AlleninGa Men's 60 113 posts | Hey Pete, It was good meeting you in Jacksonville. I'm glad you got to order those Southwest Shrimp at Long Horns. I got to thinking about that and had to stop on the way home for some. On the glove issue...the guy intended to STEAL your glove...I'm glad you forced him out from under his rock. 99.9 % of the senior players I've met are pretty much straight up guys....I have NO USE for a thief. Bruce, I take it you found your glove Saturday. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 santo Men's 55 41 posts | JonCon, First, remember your glove next time. Second like Allen said 99.9% of us are straight up guys and wouldn't think of doing something like that. And finally, the guy is lucky he didn't get his as- kicked. We are no longer 18 yr olds and have had enough time to know the difference between right and wrong. Anyone who played on that AAA team from New Mexico that reads this, needs to get that guy off of their team. Based on his initial non-response, it sounds like he might have done something like this before. Hats off to you for handling it the way you did. Mark the guy off as a looser and next time anyone sees this guy, pull out an old throw away glove, hand it to him and say you thought he might have needed an extra..... |
| Feb. 23, 2009 hitt2 353 posts | I agree with AllenGA and Santo, the majority of the senior players are honest. Last fall at the winter event in Vegas. I left my glove in the dugout didn't realize I left it for about 15-20 minutes. Went back up the hill to the field and asked the team if they saw it. Was told the coach had it and I would get it back when he came off the field Team was from Chi town. Classy group of guys. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 WOW 197 posts | I hope that New Mexico team "gets this handled", if you know what I mean. It would be a shame to brand all of them as thieves |
| Feb. 23, 2009 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Let me balance this off. Took my new U2 to a tournament three years ago (when I had to pay full price for the stick). Left it in the dugout by mistake, got in my car, was almost home one hour later when I thought "I left my new Miken behind!". Pulled off the freeway at the next exit, checked in the trunk—yep, I had left it behind. Turned around, drove back to the field, and there it was, still sitting in the dugout while another team was playing. I had no ID on the bat other than a blue tape on the handle. I sheepishly told the team I had left my bat, they smiled understandingly at me, I picked it up and went home. You're right—99.9% of senior players are straight up guys. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 AlleninGa Men's 60 113 posts | Good story Omar, I agree, a U2 is worth driving the extra distance. I'm glad you got it back. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | """ It would be a shame to brand all of them as thieves """ Absolutely. I tried to make that clear in my post. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for lumping them all together in my profanity laced tirade as I was walking away. I would even give the clown that took it the benefit of the doubt if I could come up with a reasonable excuse. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Joe, that was over an entire season. I lost $450 and a teammate lost $250 the same weekend in Vegas. The Rolex was in Ft Meyers by one of our partial sponsors. Allen, yes I did pick up my glove Saturday. Bad thing is that when I just unpacked after getting home I discovered that I had left it in Jacksonville on Sunday. I called Curt and he told me Don N. has it. Am I embarassed! I'm the one that's always giving guys grief when they leave a bat or glove after a game. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 LionsDen Men's 50 1 posts | I am the coach of the Team from New Mexico. I'm responding to partial info. As always its best to hear both sides of an issue. The gentlemen who lost his cool and glove failed to mention we were in the second inning of a heated ballgame at 2:00pm Sunday afternoon when he first entered our dugout. We were in the field. So when we came in to bat I asked the players if anyone found a glove. The player who had found it was not in the dugout. I tried to help the man locate his glove. Sometimes when you create a situation it is easier to get help with the use of kindness - not ATTITUDE. I did understand that he very upset about leaving a Miken bat behind recently, after a game and not able to locate it. So I did continue to look for the glove in other less obvious places. The suggestion that a player from his team may have picked it up sent him back out to the parking lot. The second time he returned I asked again. At my left the player who had the glove imediately said I found the glove at the end of the bench and returned it. The glove was in his bag. Do I think our player did something wrong - probally not. Did I lose respect for the guy who couldn't keep control of his equipment and his temper, you bet I did. With the display and language used in an area where women and children were present. I would ask are you a person of value. But I wouldn't go on to say his whole team is arrogant and out of control. With that being said the later apology is appreciated and we had dicussed in the future any items found will be handed over to the director or staff as soon as possible. We are sorry for any inconvience we may have caused. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 ffdonnie Men's 60 137 posts | Wow that sure puts things in a different light, doesn't it. I think this guy deserves a few more apologies from some of you character experts. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | The problem I have is with him putting the glove in his bag. I don't think many of us would do that. I have found things in the dug out as we enter, and we would just set them aside knowing someone would show up looking for it. After the game, if it was still there, turn whatever it is over to the director. Why conceal it in you bag???? |
| Feb. 23, 2009 007 2 posts | I am the one who found the glove in the dug out this past weekend. I would like to explain what happened...when we took over the dugout I pulled one of my three gloves out of my bag and started to go out onto the field to warm up. When I came back into the dugout from warming up I saw the glove laying on the concrete next to my bag. I thought it was again one of the three gloves I always carry with me and that it had fallen out of my bag when I grabbed the glove that I was going to use. I should have confirmed that it was my glove, but in the stress of the moment and our game just getting ready to start I threw the glove in my bag and proceeded to play the game. Was it stupidity? I guess if that's what you want to call it. I call it the fact I truly thought it was my glove I have one just like it. If my intent was to truly steal someone's glove why would I have returned it and caused all this drama. The only error I made was not confirming it was my glove and assuming it was! JONCON I would like to apologize again for what happened this weekend. I did not steal your glove! I thought my glove which looks just like yours fell out of my bag when I pulled out the glove that I was going to use. If you would like me to send you a picture of my glove to prove that I have one just like it I can do that. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Judge Judy says case closed. |
| Feb. 23, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | """If you would like me to send you a picture of my glove to prove that I have one just like it I can do that""" That's not necessary. All I was looking for was a reasonable explanation. It just didn't make sense. I couldn't understand why someone would pick up and put away a glove. I generally only carry one with me and I can see how it could have happened in your case. """Sometimes when you create a situation it is easier to get help with the use of kindness - not ATTITUDE."""" For the record the attitude didn't start until I saw him pull it from his bag. I didn't get any kind of explanation when he handed it to me and I got a little pissed off. Apologies have been handed out and accepted all the way around. Now....can you help me find the missing U2 from the worlds? :) |
| Feb. 23, 2009 armiho211 Men's 70 449 posts | sometimes the next team playing doesnt wait for the previous team to completely move out of the dugout. they come in and start putting gloves on the bench and bats on the holders. it has happened that some of the exiting players have picked equipment thinking it is one of his teamates, only to find out it is not theirs,and is normally returned. i think everybody should get a black marker and put his name on it. now there should be no problem. if any equipment is found in the dugout, it should be standard procedure to give it to the tournament directors or assistants. at our age, brain cells are dying off too fast for us to remember everything, let's help each other out. |
| Feb. 24, 2009 leftie Men's 70 41 posts | A glove and a U2? Could be Alzheimer's. What do think? |
| Feb. 24, 2009 AlleninGa Men's 60 113 posts | LionsDen & 007, I was out of line makeing a judgement. Please accept my apology. This post served a good purpose.........reality check. Good luck in 2009. |
| Feb. 24, 2009 santo Men's 55 41 posts | As I said in my post, we all need to remember our equipment when we leave the dugout (I'm sure it gets harder the older we get), 99.9% of us are straight up guys. To Lionsden and 007, I apologize for not giving you the benefit of the doubt. How about this; if we are the first player from our team in the dugout at the start of a game, we sweep the bench and make sure the dugout is clean before we enter. More importantly, if we are the last player leaving at the end of a game, we sweep the bench and make sure the dugout is clean of all equipment.... |
| Feb. 24, 2009 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Joncon, do you always make it a habit of barging into someone's dugout during their game to investigate your forgetfulness? You actually MADE (your capitalization) your teammates open their bags so you could inspect them? Great trusting teammate you are. :( |
| Feb. 24, 2009 WOW 197 posts | Dirty. Whats your point......Again you have nothing worthwhile to say. WaWaWaWaWaWaWaWaWa |
| Feb. 24, 2009 thebull Men's 50 59 posts | I am also on the New Mexico team and think it was good that Joncon brought this issue up so an explanition could be offered. No one was tring to steal his glove although it my have seemed that way at the time. What added to the confusion was as we were entering the dugout another player(not Joncon) also approached our dugout asking if we had seem his glove, everyone present searched and we didn't find it. I can't really blame Joncon for being mad because I've had someone actually try to steal my glove and I'm still pissed 2 years later. One good thing to come out of this is that this is the most ink this team has ever recieved. thebull |
| Feb. 24, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | """Joncon, do you always make it a habit of barging into someone's dugout during their game to investigate your forgetfulness?""" Did I have other options? Enlighten me. I was NOT leaving without it. ""You actually MADE (your capitalization) your teammates open their bags so you could inspect them? Great trusting teammate you are. :("" It wasn't a trust issue. Things happen, people mistakenly pick things up........especially old people. I just wanted to 100% SURE that none of my guys had it before I barged back into their dugout :) What were we talking about again??? |
| Feb. 24, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | Hey Bull, tell the big guy in the blue shirt (not in uniform) that I'll buy him a beer next time . And thanks again to 007 for the explanation. Hell, even if he made it up, I still feel better :) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 thebull Men's 50 59 posts | Joncon, I've always told people, if you’re going to give me a BS excuse at least have the courtesy to feed me a good line of BS. It was the truth and has apparently your satisfied with the explanation. Besides we don’t need your glove, we have trouble using the one’s we already have. The big guy in the blue shirt probable won’t make the next tournament and has asked that I fill in for him and accept your offer for the beer although I’m not sure what you mean by “next time”. Next time we meet or next time we(accidentally) misappropriate your glove. thebull |
