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American Morning
'Curses!'
Aired October 15, 2003 - 08:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: "Curses" -- that's the headline in Wrigley Field. Back to our bureau chief, Jeff Flock, standing outside.
What do we got, about 11 hours before our first pitch, game seven, Kerry Wood?
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One more shot, Bill. One more shot outside the friendly confines, which were not too friendly last night. You know, we showed you the one headline. There's a lot of them this morning. Check this one out, the "Red Streak:" "What the?" And take a look at the "Tribune's playoff coverage headline. This is my favorite. "The mitt hits the fan."
Now, before we go and lynch this fan, let's take a look at that tape one more time, because I think it's revealing on a couple of fronts. Note, this kid who touches the ball isn't the only pair of hands that's out there reaching. There are a number of fans. They're reaching. And even Dusty Baker made the point that that ball was in the stands. Alou certainly had a very good shot at catching it, but it was technically in the stands. So, that's why fan interference wasn't called.
Despite that, however, this fan is under serious scrutiny this morning. Take a look at some exclusive videotape at our affiliated station in Chicago, WGN, got last night of this fellow being led away. Now, again, he didn't do anything technically wrong, so he's not being escorted out of the ballpark, kicked out of the ballpark, but escorted away for his own safety.
At one point, folks are throwing stuff at him. You do see him at one point try to put a coat up over his head to try and conceal his identity. At another point, a fan comes on and tries to pull the coat away to unmask him.
Another of our stations last night caught up with that fan that tried to do that. He was thrown himself against a wall by security, and asked him about why he did it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ripped the sweatshirt down over his face. There was a camera right there. Someone should have seen his face. And I thought I exposed his face, and then the security guards pushed me against the wall, and then they came running up here with him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you do that? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I wanted to expose him for ruining what could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: And Moises Alou, as you saw, Bill, perhaps in the game footage, was very upset at that time. Later, he talked to reporters, though, and said that he sort of understood. You know, it's an instinct thing. You're in the stands, you're going for the foul ball, maybe you're not thinking about the impact of it.
But certainly folks in Chicago this morning are thinking about the impact of it, because it was not good.
HEMMER: You know, Jeff, and if you look at that game last night, through the eighth inning, that crowd was just very deep into that game, loud throughout the entire game. Ad Dusty Baker talked about that, bringing the fans back into the atmosphere again tonight. Is that going to be difficult in any way later tonight? Or do you think Chicago is going to be up for this one with Kerry Wood throwing?
FLOCK: Based on what we saw coming out of the ballpark last night, folks were stunned. But there were a number of folks in the crowd, too, who were, you know, let's go get them tomorrow. We've still got Wood.
You know, I talked to one guy, though, who said just after the game, I'm not even watching tomorrow. It's over. It's done. I give up. Maybe he'll have a clearer thought this morning.
HEMMER: We haven't seen a billy goat yet today. Thank you, Jeff. Enjoy game seven later tonight in Chicago.
FLOCK: We'll try.
HEMMER: Appreciate it. OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 15, 2003 - 08:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: "Curses" -- that's the headline in Wrigley Field. Back to our bureau chief, Jeff Flock, standing outside.
What do we got, about 11 hours before our first pitch, game seven, Kerry Wood?
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One more shot, Bill. One more shot outside the friendly confines, which were not too friendly last night. You know, we showed you the one headline. There's a lot of them this morning. Check this one out, the "Red Streak:" "What the?" And take a look at the "Tribune's playoff coverage headline. This is my favorite. "The mitt hits the fan."
Now, before we go and lynch this fan, let's take a look at that tape one more time, because I think it's revealing on a couple of fronts. Note, this kid who touches the ball isn't the only pair of hands that's out there reaching. There are a number of fans. They're reaching. And even Dusty Baker made the point that that ball was in the stands. Alou certainly had a very good shot at catching it, but it was technically in the stands. So, that's why fan interference wasn't called.
Despite that, however, this fan is under serious scrutiny this morning. Take a look at some exclusive videotape at our affiliated station in Chicago, WGN, got last night of this fellow being led away. Now, again, he didn't do anything technically wrong, so he's not being escorted out of the ballpark, kicked out of the ballpark, but escorted away for his own safety.
At one point, folks are throwing stuff at him. You do see him at one point try to put a coat up over his head to try and conceal his identity. At another point, a fan comes on and tries to pull the coat away to unmask him.
Another of our stations last night caught up with that fan that tried to do that. He was thrown himself against a wall by security, and asked him about why he did it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ripped the sweatshirt down over his face. There was a camera right there. Someone should have seen his face. And I thought I exposed his face, and then the security guards pushed me against the wall, and then they came running up here with him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you do that? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I wanted to expose him for ruining what could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLOCK: And Moises Alou, as you saw, Bill, perhaps in the game footage, was very upset at that time. Later, he talked to reporters, though, and said that he sort of understood. You know, it's an instinct thing. You're in the stands, you're going for the foul ball, maybe you're not thinking about the impact of it.
But certainly folks in Chicago this morning are thinking about the impact of it, because it was not good.
HEMMER: You know, Jeff, and if you look at that game last night, through the eighth inning, that crowd was just very deep into that game, loud throughout the entire game. Ad Dusty Baker talked about that, bringing the fans back into the atmosphere again tonight. Is that going to be difficult in any way later tonight? Or do you think Chicago is going to be up for this one with Kerry Wood throwing?
FLOCK: Based on what we saw coming out of the ballpark last night, folks were stunned. But there were a number of folks in the crowd, too, who were, you know, let's go get them tomorrow. We've still got Wood.
You know, I talked to one guy, though, who said just after the game, I'm not even watching tomorrow. It's over. It's done. I give up. Maybe he'll have a clearer thought this morning.
HEMMER: We haven't seen a billy goat yet today. Thank you, Jeff. Enjoy game seven later tonight in Chicago.
FLOCK: We'll try.
HEMMER: Appreciate it. OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
