For Shame Texas Rangers Fans--For Shame! [PHOTO]; Team Apologizes [UPDATE]

It's a great day for baseball fans across the nation. Why? Because for many teams it was Opening Day; the first official game of the 2014 MLB season for their team. So it is understandable if fans want to celebrate a little and have a few beers.'

However, doing something like many of the Texas Rangers fans did is not acceptable or understandable.

@kmattio/Twitter

This is a statue of Shannon Stone and his son Cooper. If you don't remember the story, back in the '11 season Shannon leaned over the outfield rail to ask Josh Hamilton for a ball. Like he had done many times before Hamilton obliged and tossed it in his direction. The throw was a little short, but Shannon leaned out for it not wanting to disappoint his son who really wanted a ball.

In the process he fell over the rail and to his death--with his six year old son watching and now alone at the game (damn story still gets me choked up).

To honor Shannon--a local firefighter--the team unveiled this statue of him and his son in April 2012.

Have a little respect people.

Maybe something like this has happened before and it hasn't been made public like this, but it has been made public now. Maybe the fans that started placing their empties there were ignorant of the story and purpose behind the statue, but I refuse to believe that there wasn't at least one fan that didn't know--or a stadium employee either.

The stadium can't station someone there or hire security for it, but this is one of those things that the fans that did know should have policed.

Would you want people turning a memorial for your dad into a garbage heap?

[UPDATE, 11:41 PM ET]

The Rangers certainly regret & apologize for the trash that accumulated on the Rangers Fans statue at the home plate gate. Cont.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

With thousands of fans, many of whom had been tailgating, entering the park 30 minutes before game time, Cont.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

large amounts of cans, bottles, & other items that are prohibited in the park, accumulated at all entrances. Cont.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

Many calls came into the maintenance dpt. during this time, & the club utilized a many employees to continually remove the trash. Cont.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

The debris on the statue was removed in a timely manner but it should not have been allowed to be placed there in the first place. Cont.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

The Rangers Fans statue is a cherished component of the ballpark & the club will make certain this situation does not occur in the future.
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 1, 2014

Loading...