Smart fans in St. Louis
How many times have you seen some dumb fan reach for a fair ball down the first base line – turning it into a ground-rule double and perhaps rob his or her own team of a run? I’ve seen it happen, and I almost saw it happen last year at a critical moment for the Astros.
The Cardinals, at least in the playoffs, seem to have bright people down the first base line because in the fourth inning of game 3 of the World Series tonight, two balls were rocketed down the first base line bouncing in to the stands once, and hitting right up against the stands the second time. Both times, the St. Louis fans nearby made a distinct effort to stay away from the bal – raising their hands even to make it clear they weren’t trying to pull anything.
Maybe in any World Series game and in any city, the fans would be paying enough attention to keep away from a fair ball near the stands. Or maybe the fans in St. Louis really are more knowledgeable than in other cities.
Either way, a tip of the cap to the two fans who were sitting down there – I may be setting the bar low, but I was impressed.
