I kind of lose respect for these game because spectators are required to remain silent.
I mean Tiger Woods yells at fans for answering their cell phones while he is trying to make a put. That's weak and wack.
Imagine AROD calling time out in a game at Fenway Park and telling some retard in the front row to stop singing/reciting the teachings of the KABBALAH to the tune of Madonna's Like a Virgin song.
Never.
In Baseball/Softball Trash Talking or Heckling is allowed and is part of the game.
They say hitting a ball consistently is the hardest thing to do in sports.
It gets even harder to do when people are heckling, screaming, yelling, and dissing you while your at the plate.
Heckling comes in all different forms.
Some is abusive. Some is good natured. Some is funny. Some is foul. Some is classless.
Menudo or Ricky Martin to your basic You Suck, Easy Out, etc etc.
The bottom line is in baseball/softball you have to deal with Heckler's.
It requires a thick skin and concentration.
Some guys get scared/intimated by Hecklers.
Other guys give in to Hecklers and yell back or get in fights.
Others love it and feed off of it.
While others ignore it.
In my opinion the best way to deal with a Heckler is Ignore Them.
Don't add fuel to the fire.
A Heckler wants attention.
They want you to lose concentration and most importantly To FAIL.
Ignoring them is the prefect payback b/c your not giving ATTENTION.
If you come through in the game they will look extra stupid and classless.
That being said it ain't easy Ignoring Hecklers, we are after all men with egos and pride.
Here are some my Top Ten Softball Hecklers
10. Willie Ferrer - Legendary Softball Knuckle ball pitcher.
Think of willie as the annoying Clown sitting above a pool of water at a Count Fair.
You pay a dollar for three throws to try and dunk him in the water.
As you throw the ball the Clown relentlessly heckles and makes fun of you.
You get madder and madder and try to dunk the Clown in the water by hitting the target, It's just hard to hit the target b/c your so mad.
That's what playing against Willie is/was like.
9. Little Lou the Manager of the Cardinals
( Seen standing directly to the right of the 2007 Gunn Sports championship trophy with his short open, clapping and hammered of course)
Nice guy who pumps up his team by yelling encouragement all day while
drinking Coors light and mixed drinks.
Doesn't stop yelling at opposing pitchers until he passes out.
8. O'Hanlons Softball team - It's harder to tell what is more natural for these guys - Yelling or breathing. It ain't easy umping their games.
7. Angelo Gonzalez - good ball player and master heckler.
Once he gets going there is no stopping him
6. Dio Jackson - Addicted to Heckling.
Even Heckles during pick up and exhibition games.
5. John Sheppard - Doesn't start talking shit until the other team begins.
Once he gets going it's no holds bar and almost nothing is off limits
4. George Colon - another West player? Like Billy Wagner would say "SHOCKER"!! George on the down low is a very witty heckler.
His best line of the year was when he called Franny the Sun when the rotund pitcher showed up to central Park wearing a full body yellow uniform one day this year.
3. Entire Chelsea League - You are not allowed to play in Chelsea unless you like to Talk
In fact the league would fold is trash talking was not permitted.
2. Willie Jommaron - Merrill Lynch - A unique Reverse Heckler - Most hecklers annoy/bother the other Team. Willie J gives it to his own team.
and the Number One Softball Heckler
Tie - I hate having Ties in the Top Ten but this one is too close to call
1.Edgar Sr. and Inwood ground Keeper Chelo
This one is like Godzilla Vs. King Kong of Heckling
Edgar Sr. is a NYC Softball legend considered one the best players of his era. He may be retired from softball, but he sure as well ain't retired from Heckling. He is funny, ruthless, relentless,and if you pay attention o him he will drive you INSANE. I'm used to him now, the only time he bothers me now is when he is silent.
As for Chelo - Simply does not care as he is 100% plastered drunk all the day.
He heckles in a dialect no one understands while listening to maddening bachata music. What is frustrating is that you can't say anything back to him b/c when he talks you don't understand and you get confused.
HECKLERS -
I know why you wrote this one Ric... Here is my 2 cents about hecklers.
ReplyDelete#1 If you are going to be a heckler you had better be one of three things... A. Playing in the game. B. Playing WELL in the game. C. Part of the crowd.
#2 If you are a benchwarmer... AND... a heckler. You are not a heckler, you are a scrub ass loser who can't play so instead yells at the players who are good enough to actually play in the actual game. Otherwise known as the "little dick" syndrom. If you are going to yell at an oppossing pitcher, but you have so little skills that you are never going to be given a bat to go face that pitcher, then you are officially the ULTIMATE SCRUB.
I will give it to a manager. A legit one. But the bottom line is if you are going to heckle you should be FUNNY, not just a dick, you should have heckle skillz. Or like I said, at least, at the very very least, be playing!!!
Sincerely,
Former Ric teamate with Uptown Chiefs (Champs!!),
Jeff C