Young fans share nice moment over baseball

Watching the game last night was a mixed bag. With AZ SS Stephen Drew and Brewers CF Carlos Gomez seeing their season end with injuries, it seemed to put a damper on the game as a whole, put then the kid with the heart saved everything.

It was not only great to see him do that, but it was great to see a kind act recognized and rewarded that way. In this society, the horrific and awful dominate the headlines. Perhaps if more acts like this rose to the top of the highlight reel, more people would strive to do the right thing.

Okay, so maybe I'm a bit idealistic. One can hope, right?

Actually I did watch the video and saw the young man looking at the staff member. He evidently felt it was the right thing to do for him. I also watched the other child Ian act like a spoilt brat throwing his self around when he didn't get his way. I also noticed Ian's mother smiling around thinking her son was so cute getting his way. I thought his behavior very unattractive. Nicholas showed chacter.

Why is it that people have to take a good deed and psyco anylize it to death? maybe you need to remember what your mothers use to tell you growing up "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all "

You go pegasus! The little kid was upset (NOT BEING A BRAT) because some jerk kid stole the ball from him!

We need to remember that these are kids, not adults. Doing "the right thing" does not come quickly or naturally to most kids...they get excited about what THEY want, which is natural. It is the role of adults to remind kids to react appropriately.

What we need to see is that the older kid that got the ball was most likely not thinking about the little kid but about the excitement of getting a ball. When he was told by the adult about the younger child's reaction, he gave the ball back QUICKLY. That is what I really admire. It is normal for him to not think first about the little kid, but he showed his good upbringing by listening to the adult and quickly righting the wrong. He could have hesitated, argued, or ignored the adult, but he didn't, and he gave the ball back to the little kid politely. That is something, in my book.

As for the mother of the little kid, I don't think she was smiling because she thought her son was "so cute." Had it been me with my son (and I have had similar situations at the ballpark), I would have kept smiling as he cried and gave him a hug to console him to try and tell him "maybe next time." When the older kid gave the ball back, I think she was smiling because she was happy and perhaps the apparent lack of an immediate thank you was due to surprise over the whole thing.

The upshot of it: Both kids acted like normal kids, and the older one acted like a fine young man who is used to obediently listening to his elders. Perhaps he was "over-rewarded" in a way for doing the right thing...but is that really so bad? His quick action to give back the ball makes me think that he was raised well, so he probably does a lot of things right that don't get as much attention. I'm happy to see kids that act better than many adults do in a similar situation. Why not show that every once in a while, there are rewards for virtue?

Thank you RNmomma,very eliquantly put!

What a thoughtful written response to this story. It is so nice to read something that is written by a human being who writes nice things, praises all parties, keeps it light but kind.
I'll bet you are a very nice person who sees all sides to the story. Thank you for being you!

Well said!! I couldn't agree with you more. This boy DIDN'T have to give the baseball up no matter who said what to him........but he did and that says a lot. It takes someone with heart to put a perfect strangers needs first! GOOD JOB!!!

RNmomma, thank you for summarising the incident so nicely, it is very heartwarming to see Nicholas returning the ball to Ian, it was a natural reaction for Nicholas to want to keep the ball, but the important thing here is Nicholas gave it back to Ian...congratulations to his parents for bringing up such a fine boy....

The kids aren't playing the "competitive sports"... they're kids... These people are commenting on the kids, not the sport. Angry much?

Very aptly put :-) I have 3 kids myself, and I agree that what we saw was an unfortunately infrequent act of generosity from a well brought-up kid, and otherwise normal behavior from children.

I agree that it wasn't wrong for him to go for it the way he did, and it wouldn't have been wrong either for him to keep it no matter what the park official said to him. That's what makes it such an extraordinary act of generosity on his part. He didn't have to do the nice thing for the younger kid, but he did without hesitation or any later animosity about it. He didn't look like he was mad about being told to give it back and he didn't sulk after like most kids would have if they'd been forced.

Bradley, you're obviously not an uneducated man. You know enough about grammar and spelling to insult people for their misuse of them. Why do you seem hell-bent on childishly calling everyone names and insisting the only correct opinion is your harshly competitive one? Shouldn't people be allowed to look at a good deed and say "that's nice" without you berating them for other parts of their statements you don't agree with? And you could have taken the high road by making counter-arguments in a logical and fair manner rather than lowering yourself to name calling and baseless insults. I really am stunned by your duality and ashamed that I lowered myself to your level with some of my responses (although I feel not nearly as much so as you did).

Sorry, there was a lag in the posting and it was accidentally posted multiple times.

Bradley, you're obviously not an uneducated man. You know enough about grammar and spelling to insult people for their misuse of them. Why do you seem hell-bent on childishly calling everyone names and insisting the only correct opinion is your harshly competitive one? Shouldn't people be allowed to look at a good deed and say "that's nice" without you berating them for other parts of their statements you don't agree with? And you could have taken the high road by making counter-arguments in a logical and fair manner rather than lowering yourself to name calling and baseless insults. I really am stunned by your duality and ashamed that I lowered myself to your level with some of my responses (although I feel not nearly as much so as you did).

how was he a jerk kid...watch the vid and you see him putting his cap out there and someone placing the ball in it...he didnt steal it...and ive been at a few games where i see big grown ups act like assess when they get a ball from a kid...this kid couldve just said nope im keeping the ball and that be that but instead gave it away.

Thank you. Why do people take what was a purely kind act by the older boy and turn it into some kind of wrong doing on anyone's part? Why do people feel the need to argue over everything instead of just appreciating it for what it was?

Because the good deeds happen so rarely!!!!!!!!! Why shouldn't we hear about the good deeds when all we usually hear are the bad ones!
I think it is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed! i loved reading a positive story!

I think you missed the point of what Pegasus was talking about. He/she was referring to the way others had disparaged the story with remarks about how the younger kid was acting "spoiled" or the older kid acted out of fear, not generosity. Take another look at the comments right before that one. Pegasus is on your side, saying enjoy the beautiful moment instead of over-analyzing it for negatives.

AAGH What Bradley didn't momma breast feed you enough when you was a kid, we get you point, your a dick, now shut the hell up

...in ignorance of a single...

Update: July 22, 2011
I feel so sorry for you Bradley, with nothing better to do than spend hours watching a comment thread in order to put people down, call names, and disparage a good kid for being nice. I'm guessing either you have a personality disorder or are 'roid raging. You are obviously the kind of over-competitive, angry fan who takes the game too seriously in ignorance of a single simple act of kindness. We could probably count on you to start a fist fight over it were you in public rather than online. Why is it wrong for people to applaud it? I suppose you'd prefer we raise another generation of self-centered azzholes like yourself? The fact that the older kid wasn't doing anything wrong in the first place is what made his decision to give the ball to the younger kid all the more generous. There's nothing wrong with separating that from the rest of the situation and appreciating it for it's own merit. The fact that you think that's "sappy" and call EVERY other poster some childish name for thinking so shows just how sad and lonely your life must be. I'd rather live my life appreciating all the "sappy" moments than to spend it constantly angry at other people for not being macho enough.

It would be a good point if it weren't followed by a baseless insult.

grandma, the young man was upset over having a ball meant for him taken by someone else, as for the young man that gave the ball back showed alot of respect for his fellow man. The only very unattractive behavior i see is your post

Bradley read the post by RNmomma. This person explains each of the little events inside this one event very well. As far as the kid acting like a brat....you must be too old "grandma" to remember what it was like to come within inches of grabbing a ball from your favorite ball player only to lose out.

i'm with you bradley, its obvious the kid was looking at the staff person. and you can even see him pointing at the other kid. he probably told him to give him the ball.

and he didn't steal the ball.. the guy gave it to him. yes it was thrown to the other boy but he didn't catch it. if someone hits their major league record home run and it bounces off your hand into someone else. do you think it was your ball since you didn't catch it?

So sad to see people with so little regard for human decency and respect for our fellow man :-(

Oooo... ouch. I'm a wuss. What are you, 10? I don't care what you call me because the point is the kid did a nice thing. He had a choice, neither right or wrong in my opinion, but he chose to be nice. And there's something wrong with us for appreciating that? Wow...

And you use the word hyperbole a couple times. Nice big word. Are you sure you know what it means? Because it seems you made more of them than anybody with all the name calling. Someone who appreciates a good deed is automatically a wuss?

I don't think someone should be rewarded for doing something that was suppose to be done anyway...

agreed dulecy

yeah, cause kid or not people should just do what is right all the time. no rewards. he didn't do the good deed for a reward or to win a prize, he did it because it was the right humane thing to do. end of convo.

It is called positive reinforcement. Just like when we do our job well, we are given bonuses or pay raises.

the positive reinforcement was the good rewarding feeling he got when he gave that little boy the ball back. like I said...points at my last comment above. ;)

Now wait a minute you! What is wrong with rewarding a kid? This young man did not look any older than my oldest grandson and that means he is still a little kid, has feelings, and so what if he was told by someone to give the ball to the younger boy. He did it didn't he? I didn't see the cops have to be brought up there, wrestle him down, take the ball from him and then arrest him. So, it means he listens to adult authority, did not question the why fores, and guess what, both children will a great memory to store in their brains, plus have an exciting story to tell to their family and friends.

Bradley, I see you have been giving this a lot of thought, even is you have no clue about real life and the nature of children. (In my opinion, given your childish bullying and name-calling. I have finally witnessed the perfect example of the written temper tantrum! Thank you!) Do you know that people would have "listened" to you and respected your opinion if you hadn't included the name calling? This story is not about sports, not about competition, not about who is best at snatching balls. It is about the simple fact that a ball was thrown to one child, caught by another child who gave it to the intended recipient. It's very simple. Why do people always have to make everything so complicated? I am proud of the older boy who gave the ball to the younger one. Just as proud as if one of my five kids did the same thing. I hope one day you will learn that life is not all about competition and being tough. It is mostly about being kind and compassionate toward others. And, yes, it is possible to be kind and compassionate without being a pushover. I believe that if you learn this, Bradley, you will be much happier. You may call me a douche or whatever else you like, but that would only prove my point. Point being that you "appear" to be a sad, angry person who has much to learn

Bradley, I see you have been giving this a lot of thought, even is you have no clue about real life and the nature of children. (In my opinion, given your childish bullying and name-calling. I have finally witnessed the perfect example of the written temper tantrum! Thank you!) Do you know that people would have "listened" to you and respected your opinion if you hadn't included the name calling? This story is not about sports, not about competition, not about who is best at snatching balls. It is about the simple fact that a ball was thrown to one child, caught by another child who gave it to the intended recipient. It's very simple. Why do people always have to make everything so complicated? I am proud of the older boy who gave the ball to the younger one. Just as proud as if one of my five kids did the same thing. I hope one day you will learn that life is not all about competition and being tough. It is mostly about being kind and compassionate toward others. And, yes, it is possible to be kind and compassionate without being a pushover. I believe that if you learn this, Bradley, you will be much happier. You may call me a douche or whatever else you like, but that would only prove my point. Point being that you "appear" to be a sad, angry person who has much to learn

Bradley, I see you have been giving this a lot of thought, even is you have no clue about real life and the nature of children. (In my opinion, given your childish bullying and name-calling. I have finally witnessed the perfect example of the written temper tantrum! Thank you!) Do you know that people would have "listened" to you and respected your opinion if you hadn't included the name calling? This story is not about sports, not about competition, not about who is best at snatching balls. It is about the simple fact that a ball was thrown to one child, caught by another child who gave it to the intended recipient. It's very simple. Why do people always have to make everything so complicated? I am proud of the older boy who gave the ball to the younger one. Just as proud as if one of my five kids did the same thing. I hope one day you will learn that life is not all about competition and being tough. It is mostly about being kind and compassionate toward others. And, yes, it is possible to be kind and compassionate without being a pushover. I believe that if you learn this, Bradley, you will be much happier. You may call me a douche or whatever else you like, but that would only prove my point. Point being that you "appear" to be a sad, angry person who has much to learn.

He only gives the ball back because the man on the lower level tells him to...look at the video, he pauses looks down at the guy and you see the guy pointing to the little boy...

The story addressed Nicholas's realization that the ball was meant for someone else. Perhaps the best part of this is that Nicholas has parents who taught him the difference between right and wrong. Nicholas didn't have to follow the direction from the fan in the lower deck. Nicholas chose to do the right thing.

You are so correct in what you wrote. Why are most of the commenters writing like Nicholas is a criminal, committed a big crime against the younger boy, and almost faced the firing squad. Again, are these not young children? I did not see Nicholas throwing a fit because it was pointed out to him that the ball was originally meant for the little boy. Nicholas looked to me like he was happy, not very upset for having to give the ball to Ian, and because of his kind act, he was rewarded. He deserved to be rewarded rather the rest of you like it or not. HE IS A CHILD, a good child whose parents should be tremendously proud of.

Can a kid get some credit for not feeling entitled to the ball and doing the right thing? Geez, your attitude is trashy.