Discrimination in Dodgerland

Football may be America's new passion, but baseball is still the national pastime. Even if it's not democratic in nature most of the time, the sport at least boasts the hypocritical juxtaposition of capitalism (no salary cap) and equality (everyman's sport ... and seriously, we have plenty of room at the stadium). But it would appear that the ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to let everyone know exactly where they stand, by dividing up the Dodgers' stadium by class status.

T.J. Simers relays a reader email in today's L.A. Times, whereby a fifth grade teacher named Russell Wise scored tickets to last Wednesday's Dodger game for seats which he called "the closest I have ever been to Major League action". These seats, however, would not allow him the privilege of getting any autographs from the Los Angeles players, due to a new rule that the club put into effect this year.

Wise knew he was just three rows back from the brand new club section, so he told an autograph seeking student of his that he would try to get a ball signed for him before the game.

I showed up at the game two hours before the opening pitch and found my seats. Three rows from those new box seats -- I figured it would be a snap to get an autograph. When I made my way toward the stretching players, ball and pen in hand, I was rebuffed. 'New rules,' the attendant said.

'I have been going to Dodger games since I was 9. I remember waiting in line, with dozens of other kids, for Brett Butler to sign my ball. I begged and pleaded with the attendant to get an autograph. I tried to tell him about Keanne.

'Then I saw kids turned back from that magic line between regular seat and box seat. I couldn't believe it, their parents couldn't believe it, and the whole time the privileged few, in the new box seats, got as many autographs and pictures as they liked. At that moment I actually questioned my Dodger loyalty.

Wow. If this is accurate, and Simers follow up calls to various Dodger PR officials indicate that it is, then ... I mean, wow. That's pretty shameful. The Dodgers justify the move by offering "Autograph Alley" behind the centerfield fence before games (where an old-time Dodger offers to sign balls), and also letting kids onto the warning track before games with the possibility of getting stuff signed should the players volunteer to leave batting practice and put ink to various items. But Simers points out that none of these "events" have been well attended by players.

Not to get nostalgic here, but it brings back memories of getting spurned by Mark McGwire at an Orioles game as a kid, only to land Goose Gossage's autograph a few minutes later. At this point in my life, I'm ecstatic about it -- Goose is an all time great and, well, I never grew up a fan of McGwire's so I rather enjoyed his fall from grace. But at the time, Goose was just an old dood that could outgrow my dad in the mustache department, and Mac was a freaking Bash Brother. I was crushed. And I may or may not have bawled my little 17 year old face off.

And that's the exact scene that Simers describes, with parents helping their youngsters get a souvenir and "... then spend the next 20 minutes trying to explain to the crying youngster who the old-timer is, and why it's better to have his signature than Rafeal Furcal's or Andruw Jones'".

You know, there are certain amenities in our culture that people will pay more for. And I'm perfectly fine with folks that have more money being able to purchase nicer seats at Dodger games and fan themselves with palmettos while sipping mimosas and pretending to care about baseball. But that shouldn't stop kids from being able to get a brief glimpse of their heroes. First class airline tickets offer the hot towel, but it's not like they exclude the people who decide to roll economy style from using the freaking bathroom.

And the fact that the Dodgers -- or more particularly the McCourt family -- justify pacifying an elitist group of fans who don't want hot dog wrappers near their seat when they get there or "crowded conditions" before the game starts by shutting out children and the rest of the paying fans from a legitimate shot at getting autographs from fans, well, that's just plain sad.