It is no secret that Josh Hamilton has fallen from the good graces of Texas Rangers fans. He was booed as his career with the team came to a close and again this week when he visited the Ballpark in Arlington for the first time as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. All of that was to be expected, but one would hope the fans would leave Hamilton’s family out of it.
According to the Angels slugger, they did not. Hamilton said his wife Katie had to seek out security when fans were verbally harassing her and the couple’s daughters.
“She ended up calling security just because people are being ugly,” Hamilton told reporters on Friday, via the Dallas Morning News. “Not necessarily the booing and stuff, but inappropriate with kids around – and that was before the game even started. But overall, it’s not like they left and went anywhere. They stayed right there. Good lesson for the kids about people and general and not putting your faith in man, but in the man upstairs.”
Rangers officials said they provided the Hamilton family with extra security after the complaint but that no fans were ejected. They were not able to sit in a suite on Friday because there was no availability, but they were apparently given one for Saturday and Sunday. Hamilton also said his children took it well.
“They weren’t upset when they got home,” he said. “They kissed me and hugged me and said good game. They went on playing with the friends they had over. It was like coming home from any other game. … It’s cool to get ragged on about normal things. But when you get a little swearing and jawing back at Katie and saying inappropriate things, it’s a little different story.”
As the wife of this Philadelphia Eagles linebacker could tell you, fans harassing a player’s family is nothing new. However, it does cross the line — especially when young children are involved. Booing is inevitable, but there’s no need for swearing at someone’s wife and children.
