Phillies Fan Tasered After Running on Field

Well, at least he didn't puke on anyone. But was tasering this kid necessary? It seemed his biggest concern was keeping his hat on before he gave himself up. So why on earth does the security guard feel the need to zap him?

For the first time in Phillies history, a fan running on the field at Citizens Bank Park was subdued by a Philadelphia police officer using his Taser gun.

With 44,817 fans watching in the stands Monday night, the teenage male, wearing a black baseball cap, red T-shirt, and khaki shorts, ran on to the field during the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"This is the first time that a Taser gun has been used by Philadelphia police to apprehend a field jumper," Phillies spokeswoman Bonnie Clark said in a statement. "The Police Department is investigating this matter and the Phillies are discussing with them whether in future situations this is an appropriate use of force under these circumstances. That decision will be made public."

The fan made several loops in center field with security personnel and the police officer in pursuit. The officer appeared to fire several times before hitting the man. The man fell to the ground. He was then helped off the field.

The police officer "utilized his Taser" when a fan ran onto the field, said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.

Running on the field during a game is a crime and has been for decades. Normally, such suspects are wrestled to the ground, escorted off the field, and arrested.

It was unclear Monday night if a Taser had ever been used on a Major League Baseball field to subdue such a suspect.

Vanore said the Police Department's internal affairs unit would open an investigation to determine if the firing "was proper use of the equipment.

There's a photo montage of the tasering in action at the link.

'Congratulations Phillies! Back-to-back Champs'

I guess they don't have layer upon layer of editors and fact-chekcers in the ad department at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Talk about a premature promotion.

A Philadelphia newspaper Monday ran an advertisement by Macy's applauding the Phillies for a phantom World Series victory and promoting a 2009 championship T-shirt.

In the ad world equivalent of the "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline, the bungled banner in The Philadelphia Inquirer said "Congratulations Phillies! Back-to-back Champs."

Underneath, a shirt celebrating the Phils as the 2009 World Series winners is on display.

Of course, that piece of clothing is unlikely to ever see the light of day as the Yankees are poised to bury the Phillies after taking a commanding three-to-one series lead Sunday night.

And besides, Philadelphia had no shot to win the Fall Classic until at least Wednesday, even if they had come on top in Sunday's Game 4.

The three-quarter-page ad appeared in the back page of broadsheet's front section.

The Inquirer was quick to apologize, saying in a message to readers it "deeply regrets this error."

Could it be a copy editor is a closet Yankees fan there?

Anyone with knowledge of the ins and outs of a newspaper knows that it’s the job of a copyeditor to go through each layout page, making sure editorial and advertising copy are grammatically and contextually correct.

Whoever was in charge of proofing page A20 was obviously asleep at the keyboard. Or, great conspiracy theorists might say that there was a Yankee fan on the Inquirer staff:

Next to the offending ad is an article that should have the headline “Limbaugh, Axelrod Trade Jabs.” Instead, the second blooper on the same page reads: “Limbaugh, Alexrod Trade Jobs.” As in, Alex Rodriguez, not David Axelrod.

Indeed, that headline is still on their website.

RIP, Harry Kalas

One of the great broadcast voices of our time has died suddenly today.

Harry Kalas, the Phillies' Hall of Fame announcer, died at 1:20 p.m. today, the Phillies announced.

Mr. Kalas collapsed in the press box at Nationals Stadium in Washington at about 12:30 p.m. and was rushed to George Washington University Medial Center.

The cause of the death was not announced. Today's game against the Nationals will be played, but the team will not visit the White House tomorrow.

"We lost Harry today," David Montgomery, the team president, said. "We lost our voice."

While I'm outside of the Philly market I always remember Kalas most for his great voice work on NFL Films.

More here.

Here's his bio page at Wikipedia.

White Sox Fan Obama Rooting For Both Rays and Phillies

You've got to admire a man of such firm conviction. Of course, had the Red Sox and Dodgers emerged victorious from the championship series, he'd be foursquare behind them.

Late word is he likes the Patriots tonight but would also like to see the Broncos win.

Barack Obama, campaigning in the key swing state of Florida, is seeking to capitalize on the excitement over the World Series-bound Tampa Bay Rays, telling a Tampa crowd he was “showing some love for the Rays,” several members of which joined him onstage.

Only problem?

Obama, a self-avowed Chicago White Sox fan, declared his allegiance earlier this month for the Rays’ National League opponent in baseball’s championship, the Philadelphia Phillies.

On Oct. 11, Obama told a crowd in the City of Brotherly Love — the biggest city on the key swing state of Pennsylvania: “My White Sox are gone, so I’ll go ahead and root for the Phillies now.”

Yet in Tampa on Monday afternoon, where he was introduced by Rays players Fernando Perez and David Price, Obama also seemed to express support for the Rays, telling the crowd that he had just met with several members of the team backstage.

"I have said from the beginning that I'm a unity candidate, bringing people together. So when you see a White Sox fan showing some love for the Rays and the Rays showing some love back, you know we're onto something here,” Obama said.

Unity? Tell that to Joe Wurzelbacher.

Mascot Named PorkChop, Seething Commences

When it comes to something named after a pork product, my first reaction is this involved the delicate sensibilities of Muslims. But what do you know, in this case, it's Puerto Ricans who are offended.

I had no idea.

Regardless, people are just too damn sensitive.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Two days after naming its mascot "PorkChop," the Philadelphia Phillies' new Triple-A affiliate abruptly dropped the moniker after receiving complaints from Hispanics that it was offensive.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, whose mascot is a large, furry pig, had selected PorkChop from more than 7,300 fan submissions. The team, which begins play in 2008, announced Monday that the mascot will be named "Ferrous" instead.

General Manager Kurt Landes said he heard from several Hispanics who said PorkChop was derogatory.

That's all it takes, folks, several people to complain and Landes folded like a cheap camera. Geez, he may need to enter sensitivity in a show of solidarity.

"We were really unaware of any negative connotations with the word 'pork chop,"' he said. "If it offended a few, it's a few too many."

That's the American spirit, Kurt. Cave at the first sign of protest.

Forget the fact nobody has any respect for you now.

Guillermo Lopez, vice president of the Latino Leadership Alliance, said he was called "pork chop" when he worked at Bethlehem Steel decades ago.

"If my parents were alive, they'd be having fits," said Lopez, among those who complained to the team. "It meant much more to them than it does to Puerto Ricans now in the Lehigh Valley."

Get over it, Guillermo.