Selfless young fan returns ball to upset boy @ MLB Very Cool

[roadhse ma]

Rare Act in these times

He is Blessed w/ Good Parents and Friends!

Trust me the Best 4 mins on the computer today!

 

www.sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_leagu ... lb-wp13421

[The High Heat]

I saw that earlier today. That was awesome! I was going to post it on the MLB thread, but wasn't sure how the mobile video version would transfer over to desktop - or if it would at all. Thanks!

[Vacant Horizon]

most people would do that. most people are nice and kind. when they don't see the faces of those they affect with their decisions, people follow fear.

[The High Heat]

most people would do that. most people are nice and kind. when they don't see the faces of those they affect with their decisions, people follow fear.

I'd say it's more like 50/50 on such a thing. There are people like that woman in Houston last week who took one from a kid and kept it.

[Preferred B]

That was awesome. I agree that most adults would turn the ball over to a kid, but it's not such an easy thing for another kid to do - especially when he was clearly so excited himself.

[jff]

Mirror image if the insane BRAT the other day who went into extreme sulk mode until the guys in the press box (who were making fun of him mercilessly) had someone deliver him a ball.

[Sir Stewart]

[choo-choo-charlie]

It was a selfless, mature gesture on the young man's part. And then he was rewarded for his kind act with a prize greater than a ball. I applaud the young fellow's act, but let's not teach kids to be generous because they'll be rewarded for it by something greater than that which they gave up...

[calvino]

 

 

Was this the lady in Houston?

[Sir Stewart]

I don't know anything about it.

[calvino]

It is, I just looked it up. Wow.

[Sir Stewart]

What's the story there?

[calvino]

I think the story is just what the video depicts. I think the video of the woman grabbing the ball happen a few days before the video of the "selfless" kid. Two opposite stories in the same week, so to speak.

[choo-choo-charlie]

According to NBC Sports, the other incident (woman stealing ball from child) happened back in early June.

 

http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2011/06/10/e-evil-woman-watch-this-adult-steal-a-foul-ball-from-a-little-girl/

[uncool2pillow]

It was a selfless, mature gesture on the young man's part. And then he was rewarded for his kind act with a prize greater than a ball. I applaud the young fellow's act, but let's not teach kids to be generous because they'll be rewarded for it by something greater than that which they gave up...

 

He was caught on camera doing something generous. He didn't do it because he expected a reward. He was rewarded because one of two reasons, probably both. 1) The TV crew was genuinely moved by what they saw and wanted to extend generosity to one who was generous. 2) It made for good TV that made the TV crew look good.

 

I don't think there's going to be a rash of older kids giving baseballs to little kids expecting to be rewarded in the broadcast booth.

[choo-choo-charlie]

 

He was caught on camera doing something generous. He didn't do it because he expected a reward. He was rewarded because one of two reasons, probably both. 1) The TV crew was genuinely moved by what they saw and wanted to extend generosity to one who was generous. 2) It made for good TV that made the TV crew look good.

 

I don't think there's going to be a rash of older kids giving baseballs to little kids expecting to be rewarded in the broadcast booth.

 

I did not say that he was motivated by the possible reward.

[u2roolz]

I would give away caught balls (sounds pretty bad) to kids if it got me a date with Heidi Watney or Erin Andrews.

Or to sink Chris Berman in a dunk tank.

[uncool2pillow]

 

I did not say that he was motivated by the possible reward.

Fair enough. But I don't think rewarding his generosity sends the wrong message in the least.

[bleedorange]

It was a selfless, mature gesture on the young man's part. And then he was rewarded for his kind act with a prize greater than a ball. I applaud the young fellow's act, but let's not teach kids to be generous because they'll be rewarded for it by something greater than that which they gave up...

 

Oh no! We can't reward good behavior because that might actually lead to more good behavior.

[choo-choo-charlie]

Fair enough. But I don't think rewarding his generosity sends the wrong message in the least.

 

Oh no! We can't reward good behavior because that might actually lead to more good behavior.

 

Perhaps I'm not explaining myself correctly or articulating it in the right way. I am by no measure opposed to rewarding good behavior. I suppose I'm from the background where you do something generous, good and charitable because it feels good, because intrinsically it's satisfying, it's a good thing to do. Not because I'm thinking "what's in it for me" or "what will I get out of this?"

 

I'll purchase a membership to a museum or another non-profit organization because I believe in supporting the organization and want to do my part in supporting them, not because of whatever token of appreciation they offer or the tax deduction, by-products of a charitable gift. Some people become a member for the hat, the jacket, the CD or the _______. And that's their thing.

 

But I suppose by that logic one could consider the boy's reward a by-product of his charitable act, and I recognize that.

 

I'm simply trying to say that I can see people whose motivation for giving is very much rooted in self-interest and not in charity. And this is a young child we're talking about. I'm not insinuating that the boy had other interests in mind -- I'm saying that I hope he learns to be charitable when he can because it's a good thing to do, not because of what he may receive in return. That'd be on his folks. There are just a lot of youngsters out there with an overblown sense of entitlement who are rarely thinking about others, many that I know personally, and it's refreshing to see a kid like this one do something selfless. I hope that there are more out there like him.

[bleedorange]

In a perfect world, you're right. But I would rather have someone do a good deed for a reward or selfish interest than not do a good deed at all.

[W(TF)]

I think the story is just what the video depicts. I think the video of the woman grabbing the ball happen a few days before the video of the "selfless" kid. Two opposite stories in the same week, so to speak.

 

That really gives new meaning to the lore in Ken Burns' documentary; "The story of baseball is the story of America."

 

Amazing.

[choo-choo-charlie]

In a perfect world, you're right. But I would rather have someone do a good deed for a reward or selfish interest than not do a good deed at all.

 

Agreed. I'm all for good deeds.

 

Here's a much different take on the whole story: http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/122171/arizona-diamondbacks-kill-young-fans-spirits-with-misplaced-kindness/.

[ih8music]

The greedy Diamondbacks fan gets no mercy from me because in the MLB’s video footage, you can clearly see a park employee—the same one who gave Ian the ball—get his attention and point to Nicholas, indicating she wanted him to give up the ball. Ian even looks pretty bummed, but walks up to Nicholas and hands over his prize.

 

Doing what he was told to do is not the same as doing it for the sake of generosity. I don’t recall my mother showering me with ice cream and gifts after I cleaned my room under direct orders.

 

Funny, I was also going to point this out but didn't want to be the only jerk in the thread . But I also noticed how he was "told" to give the ball to the other kid, and that's what turned him around.

 

Now, to his credit, many/most kids would have ignored the park employee and held on to the ball... but his actions weren't exactly 100% pure 'selflessness' like it's being played up to be. He's a good kid who does what he's told, nothing wrong with that at all.