Rangers Foul Ball Incident: Who Is Really to Blame for the Controversy?

Three-year-old Cameron Shores, a Texas Rangers fan who cried when he wasn't given a foul ball at a Yankees-Rangers game, was the focus of controversy when Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay decided to chastise the fans who had caught the ball instead. 

Sean Leonard and Shannon Moore, who had caught the ball, were accused by Kay of flaunting the ball in the sobbing toddler's face.

But all was put right when the Rangers decided to toss another ball in the stands to Shores.

After the drama unfolded, both Leonard and Moore demanded an apology for the mistreatment at the hands of Kay. And rightfully so. They said they didn't know that there was a little kid there.

The parents of little Cameron appeared on Good Morning America and said that they didn't think that Leonard and Moore did anything intentionally.

According to this story on ABC News, the Rangers have decided to give the kid his own jersey and a signed ball for the trouble. Talk about a happy ending for the tot. 

How do I feel about this?  

While we can't blame the kid for crying, after all, it's very hard to get a foul ball in the stands, I have to say that what Michael Kay did was horrible. Leonard and Moore caught the ball fair and square, and thus were not obligated to give the ball to the child. The fact that Kay had to criticize them for reacting as any fan would is heinous. 

It's not like Leonard and Moore intentionally stole the ball from the kid, or for that manner, ripped the ball from his hands, much like the many jerks who have done so when faced with a similar situation. In fact, they said they would have given the ball to the kid had they known he was there. In fact, according to the parents, after Cameron was given his ball, he and Leonard talked baseball. 

In fact, even the parents acknowledge that their child shouldn't get everything he wants. In this case, the good guys in this are the parents, who acted civil and didn't demand anything, and sided with Leonard and Moore the next day. That is the right example of fan etiquette.

As for Kay, he really needs to understand intent and issue an apology to those offended. Leonard and Moore are not bad people, they were just the victims of circumstance.