Remember that first base coach that was

[BERIGAN]

Heard on Espn, even that the older attacker said 30 months was nothing! And he wasn't banned from going to ball games!

Gamboa says sentencing sends 'poor message'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press

CHICAGO -- A man who along with his son attacked a Kansas City Royals coach during a game last fall was sentenced Wednesday to 30 months of probation.

William Ligue Jr. also was ordered to perform community service and remain in a substance abuse program. The judge said probation was an opportunity for Ligue to recover from his substance abuse problems and "become a useful person."

In May, Ligue pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated battery for leading his teenage son onto the field at a Chicago White Sox game in September and beating Tom Gamboa, who was coaching at first base.

Judge Leo Holt said Wednesday such fan misbehavior is so uncommon that deterrence wasn't an issue in sentencing.

Gamboa, in town for a series between the Royals and White Sox, said he was disappointed in the sentence. He said he has a permanent "stuffiness" in his ear as a result of the attack.

"I just think it's a poor message to get sent to the public. My fear is should this happen again to another player, coach or manager in any sport, that there's been a precedent set that I think is a bad one," he said.

Ligue's son was sentenced to five years' probation and 30 hours of community service but a judge has recommended he be sent to a prison boot camp following a probation violation.

[Jazzmoose]

Without a doubt, professional baseball should ban Jethro and Cletus from any and all games, from the rookie leagues on up. Well...maybe invite them to a new version of "bat day" as the guests of honor.

[RDK]

I'm not sure if MLBB has the authority to ban specific fans from its games, but a judge sure could as a condition of their probation.

[J Larsen]

Guys, this decision is a lot worse than you think. Not reported in the ESPN.com article copied above is that the judge blamed the violent nature of baeball and the ready availibility of beer at ballparks for the attacks, and claimed that the attackers' behavior is what one ought reasonably expect from persons in the baseball park environment. That's the real reason the sentence was so light. Read about it for yourself:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nw...ws-ligue07.html

[jazzypaul]

  Quote

"I don't think there's another judge in the courthouse that would have given me probation,'' he said. "I want to thank the public for being behind me for this stressful time in my life. Now I'm just going to move on.''

Let me, a fervant White Sox fanatic, step in on this one...WE'RE NOT BEHIND THIS JERK!!! Everyone in town laughed at these two for being the stereotypical south-side rednecks that they are. And this judge...uggh!!

Personally, I think guys like this make games less fun for all of us. Added security, the fact that we're already the laughing stock of baseball fans all over, this just makes it worse. I wish they would've put the guy away.

[Jazzmoose]

Oh, come on, Jan; the guy's just misunderstood! From the article:

"Holt said jail time was not warranted because Ligue has a limited criminal history, including burglary, a felony, as well as domestic battery and several DUIs."

You don't want a Boy Scout like this to suffer any permanent damage, do you?

[J Larsen]

You know, Mark, I don't know if this news has gone national yet but in Brooklyn they are investigated a number of judges for accepting bribes. One has already been indicted, and we have been told to expect many more idictments in the near future. One has to wonder what's going on in Chicago...

BTW, I had no idea that drunkeness afforded one the ability to commit crimes with impunity.

[Rooster_Ties]

Being from Kansas City, I remember this incident all too well. They should have at least given that guy 3 months of actual jail-time (which isn't very much, actually -- but at least give him some actual jail time), and definitely ban him from going to any professional sports games (of any sort, not just baseball) for 3 years.

I'm not going to say they should have put him away for life, but that judge should have sent a message to all fans that this sort of behavior has real consequences.

Disgusting turn of events, if you ask me. (Relatively speaking - keeping it in perspective with all that's going on in the world.)

[pryan]

  J Larsen said:

Guys, this decision is a lot worse than you think. Not reported in the ESPN.com article copied above is that the judge blamed the violent nature of baeball and the ready availibility of beer at ballparks for the attacks, and claimed that the attackers' behavior is what one ought reasonably expect from persons in the baseball park environment. That's the real reason the sentence was so light. Read about it for yourself:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nw...ws-ligue07.html

That's just astounding. You think you've heard some crazy stories and then even crazier ones pop up, seemingly every second day. Sometimes the offender and/or the crime can be seen as a portrayal of something else that's wrong in society, but this is taking it to the extreme. Last time I checked it wasn't mandatory to consume alcohol at sporting events.

[slsmcgrew]

  J Larsen said:

Guys, this decision is a lot worse than you think. Not reported in the ESPN.com article copied above is that the judge blamed the violent nature of baeball and the ready availibility of beer at ballparks for the attacks, and claimed that the attackers' behavior is what one ought reasonably expect from persons in the baseball park environment. That's the real reason the sentence was so light. Read about it for yourself:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nw...ws-ligue07.html

Baseball violent? I’d say out of Pro Football, Soccer, Hockey, Basketball and Baseball, that Baseball is the least violent.

Here is another case of a judge saying the defendant wasn’t responsible for his actions. Just blame it on the game and beer. Poor guy couldn’t help himself. Those nasty Baseball parks are just of cesspool of horror and violence.

[JSngry]

  slsmcgrew said:

Those nasty Baseball parks are just of cesspool of horror and violence.

Well. I don't know about the viloence, but The Ballpark In Arlington has certainly been a cesspool of horror lately...

[Jim Alfredson]

What a joke. So if I go get drunk and hit someone with my car, it's not fault because hey, beer is readily available at gas stations and that's just to be expected, right?

Oh wait, they call that drunk driving and hit you hard with jail time, taking away your license and big fines.

What's the difference here?

[J Larsen]

  b3-er said:

What a joke. So if I go get drunk and hit someone with my car, it's not fault because hey, beer is readily available at gas stations and that's just to be expected, right?

Oh wait, they call that drunk driving and hit you hard with jail time, taking away your license and big fines.

What's the difference here?

Evidently that didn't happen to this guy when he got hit with "several DUIs". This judge sucks.

BTW, the guy's teenage son must have gotten a different judge, becuase he's in jail for year. Actually, he was originally given 50 months probation, but was jailed for a year after violating his parole terms almost immediately.

[BruceH]

This judge is a complete moron and should be kicked off the bench. What planet is he living on? A month or three of actual jail time may (I say MAY) have been a wake-up call to this idiot, but AT LEAST ban him from baseball games. It's the fault of the GAME because it's so violent???? HUHHH???? Even if you accept such a ludicrous assumption, what's the best way to deal with it? Encourage fans to be more violent by demonstrating that there're no conseqences for bad behavior? Maybe this jerk-off of a judge IS taking bribes. He should get a job picking up litter by the highways, maybe he's competent to do THAT.

[The Mule]

  J Larsen said:

You know, Mark, I don't know if this news has gone national yet but in Brooklyn they are investigated a number of judges for accepting bribes. One has already been indicted, and we have been told to expect many more idictments in the near future. One has to wonder what's going on in Chicago...

Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

Judges bribed?! In Chicago?! I'm shocked!!! SHOCKED!!!

I'm a born and bred former Chicagoan and there's a looooooong history of judicial corruption in the Windy City. It wasn't called "The City That Works" for nuthin'.

In this case, however, those two south-suburban knucklehead scumbags absolutely DO NOT look as if they've got the cash to bribe ANYBODY. I grew up with jamokes like that and they don't have pot to piss in let alone sense enough to be able to pull off a bribe.

[Jazzmoose]

  The Mule said:

In this case, however, those two south-suburban knucklehead scumbags absolutely DO NOT look as if they've got the cash to bribe ANYBODY. I grew up with jamokes like that and they don't have pot to piss in let alone sense enough to be able to pull off a bribe.

I suppose it's possible that they found the one judge in Chicago with a weakness for 'shine and possum stew, but I admit, it's highly unlikely...