TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, July 1, 2007
In the middle of his impassioned speech outside PNC Park on Saturday, irate Pirates fan Andy Chomos tossed a Ronny Paulino Bobblehead into Federal Street.
Just then, a car sped past - and you won't be surprised to learn that it barely missed the fallen doll.
Even the Ronny Paulino Bobblehead avoids collisions.
This was the night of the big fan protest. Chomos, a 43-year-old Franklin Park businessman, and his partners orchestrated a pre-game rally outside Hi-Tops and a walkout after the third inning of a game against the Washington Nationals.
Protesters were urged to wear green, to represent the money ownership won't spend on improving the team.
The best guess here is that no more than 1,500 people headed for the concourses after the third inning. Hardly anyone actually left the ballpark, and plenty who wore green never budged from their seats.
As one wag put it, "It ain't gonna make anyone forget Tiananmen Square."
I don't know how or if any of it affected Pirates owner Bob Nutting, but I know this: I'll need a month to recover.
Former Pirates pitcher Doc Ellis addresses fans during a rally across from PNC Park before Saturday night's Pirates game. Protest organizer Andy Chomos, of Franklin Park, shows his support behind Ellis.
Not from the protest itself, but from my walk to the pre-game rally. It felt like I was trapped in "Alice in Wonderland," or, worse, a Dock Ellis flashback.
Ellis is the ex-Pirates pitcher who tossed a no-hitter on LSD in 1970. He was here last night. Came all the way from California to address the protesters and delivered the line of the night when he said, "I reached manhood in the streets of Pittsburgh."
My trip began when a group of reporters boarded the elevator and encountered ex-Pirates scouting director Mickey White, who was wearing a green button-down shirt, inadvertently.
"Matches my eyes," he said.
You might remember White. He was doing a decent job of procuring talent until Dave Littlefield fired him five years ago.
Once outside, I had to walk past a bunch of those inane "We Will" banners, one of which has a photograph of Zach Duke and the caption, "We Will. Amaze."
Another features Tony Armas and the caption, "We Will. Work Hard."
Pirates ownership actually deserves credit for cultivating a fan base that, by-and-large, couldn't care less what happens on the field. Many of the 26,959 on hand last night likely came for the Bob Walk Bobblehead (which Chomos didn't throw into the street).
Team officials were no doubt pleased the protest fell flat. Someday, perhaps, they'll take pride in a ballclub they assemble. This one is 10 games under .500 and headed for a 15th consecutive losing season.
I felt kind of like the new breed of Pirates customer last night. I didn't pay much attention to the game because I was so into the diversions.
Once past the banners, I wandered to the rally and saw a city policeman telling a man who was selling green, fluorescent "I support the third-inning walkout" shirts to take a hike.
The police presence added to whatever '60s feel the protesters might have been trying to conjure. There weren't any dogs or high-powered hoses, but the fellas made sure everyone stayed on the sidewalk.
One man sported a T-shirt that read "We Will Stink."
Somebody handed me a fake dollar bill with Nutting's photo in the middle of it; another waved a sign that read, "Boo-Hoo since '92."
At that point, I flashed back to a Grateful Dead concert in 1986 at Giants Stadium, when some freak handed me a red sneaker.
I'm not even sure I liked the Dead's music, but the shows were incredible.
By the way, who won the game?
Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com
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