BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: HBT: Two MLB.com writers robbed at gunpoint at Great American

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

HBT: Two MLB.com writers robbed at gunpoint at Great American

MLB.com’s Barry Bloom and Thomas Harding were robbed at 1:30 a.m. this morning about 15 feet outside Gate 3 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News reports.

“I thought the guy was a fan as he approached, but he said, ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way,’” said Bloom. “I started to walk away and he began yelling at me and pulled this big gun that looked like a Glock. He said, ‘Put your wallets on the ground.’ We did and he picked them up and ran off.”

Bloom said he lost about $500 in cash, while Harding was carrying $100. Their credit cards were also stolen.

Thanks to Bennie.

Repoz Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:21 PM | 39 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: media, reds

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:41 PM (#3896974)

It's so nice to see a story about violence at a baseball stadium unconnected to fan partisanism. These robbers were driven only by greed, not the desire to beat up a fan of the opposing team. And for that, I saulte them.

2. bunyon Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:44 PM (#3896976)

The suspicious thing here is: where did a MLB.com writer get $500?

3. The Mohole* of David Wells (* - Piehole)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:57 PM (#3896984)

What's going to happen to all these petty chain snatchers pick pockets when people no longer use cash? Poor guys. Globalization is going to hit them the hardest. I mean, how are you gonna feed your crack addiction on credit cards?

4. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:59 PM (#3896987)

but he said, ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way,’

Bruno Sammartino, you old gun-toting rascal!

5. Daryn Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:15 PM (#3897003)

I don't know why people keep going there.

6. Infinite Joost (Voxter)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:15 PM (#3897004)

Why was he carrying around $500 in cash? Was he planning on scoring some blow later?

7. BDC

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:25 PM (#3897016)

I was going to say, it's been a long time since I had $500 cash on my person. Of course, it's been a long time since I had $500 in my checking account, so that may be a contributing factor.

8. Red Menace Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:59 PM (#3897042)

I don't know why people keep going there.

I was there last night and had a great time. Never felt unsafe. Of course I left at 10:30.

9. Ray (RDP)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:04 PM (#3897049)

My instinct tells me that the best thing to do in that situation is just to hand over the wallet, and ask the nice criminal if you can get anything else for him. It's no guarantee, but it feels like that would generally produce a better outcome than putting up a fight.

10. Ray (RDP)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:05 PM (#3897050)

Why was he carrying around $500 in cash?

Strip club?

11. puck Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:05 PM (#3897051)

The quoted portion does not appear to be in the article linked in TFA. I wonder what happened. Did the Reds not like the bad pub? Did McCoy step on the toes of the crime desk guy?

12. Ray (RDP)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:05 PM (#3897052)

Seems hard to get robbed at gunpoint with so many people around.

13. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:07 PM (#3897054)

Farmers like myself always carry anywhere from $500-$1500 in cash. It's how we do business.

Not going to be bothered with silly stuff like sales tax!

14. Nasty Nate Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:13 PM (#3897059)

Seems hard to get robbed at gunpoint with so many people around.

They were probably there for work, and so by the time they left the crowds would be gone.

15. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:14 PM (#3897060)

Seems hard to get robbed at gunpoint with so many people around.

Nah, people just figured they were IRS agents collecting taxes.

16. Ray (RDP)

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:23 PM (#3897065)

Good point.

17. Shredder Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:23 PM (#3897066)

Seems hard to get robbed at gunpoint with so many people around.

Probably not a lot of people hanging around at 1:30 am.

18. BDC

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:24 PM (#3897067)

Farmers like myself always carry anywhere from $500-$1500 in cash

Yeah, but cripes, Harveys, you chew horseshoe nails for breakfast. A mugger is going to take one look at you and offer to put your grandkids through college.

19. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:31 PM (#3897072)

Bob

Bah. My right ain't what it used to be.

20. FancyPantsHandle glistening with foreign substance Posted: August 10, 2011 at 03:40 PM (#3897076)

Two MLB.com writers robbed at gunpoint at Great American

I know MLB's closed market exclusivity leads to higher prices, but the libertarian 'at gunpoint' rhetoric has gotten out of control.

21. Lassus Posted: August 10, 2011 at 04:08 PM (#3897101)

From the headline, I honestly thought this was a new grocery store near the MLB.com offices.

22. UCCF Posted: August 10, 2011 at 04:14 PM (#3897104)

Why was he carrying around $500 in cash? Was he planning on scoring some blow later?

Probably just his change from the $1000 bill he gave them for a hot dog and a beer.

23. Teufel's Graveyard Posted: August 10, 2011 at 04:46 PM (#3897119)

I was there last night and had a great time. Never felt unsafe

I think this was in reference to a Friends line, where someone says that when he was young, he thought "gunpoint" was a place, and he wondered why people keep going there.

My instinct tells me that the best thing to do in that situation is just to hand over the wallet

A 34 year old woman was shot and killed in Milwaukee on Sunday when she refused to give up her purse which included a laptop and business information. She had 7 children and was pregnant with twins.

24. Gern Blanston Posted: August 10, 2011 at 04:49 PM (#3897123)

Nah, people just figured they were IRS agents collecting taxes.

I laughed...

25. Gern Blanston Posted: August 10, 2011 at 04:52 PM (#3897125)

Yeah, but cripes, Harveys, you chew horseshoe nails for breakfast. A mugger is going to take one look at you and offer to put your grandkids through college.

I sort of imagine Harveys as Lee Marvin in a Brewers hat and Dickies overalls. I'd be disappointed to learn otherwise.

26. Lujack Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:02 PM (#3897136)

I lost $5, no I mean $500 when the guy held me up. Yeah, that's the ticket.

27. phredbird

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:05 PM (#3897141)

years ago, when i lived in new orleans, i got robbed at gunpoint one night walking up to a friends house to watch football. the guy came out of the bushes and pointed a gun right at my face. it was a strange experience. one part of my brain was looking at what was happening and i found myself thinking that it looked like the robber was brandishing a toy gun but it was immediately voted down by another part of my brain screaming 'don't be an idiot, do what he says!!!!'
then two more guys walked up, apparently unaware of what was happening, and we had an awkward moment where the robber didn't know what to do, then he started pointing the gun at each of us in succession and telling us to throw our wallets on the ground, and walk away.
the idiot part of my brain took over and i said 'actually, i'm just going to this house right here.' he just looked at me and shouted 'i told you to walk away!' so i immediately obeyed. weird experience.

28. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:08 PM (#3897146)

29. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:10 PM (#3897147)

Gern

I typically wear one of my cowboy hats to the game. It does not have a Brewers bandana on it.

I wear coveralls in the winter but do not wear overalls. I do wear suspenders.

And cowboy boots. I have dress shoes but my typical footwear is/are cowboy boots.

30. TVerik Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:11 PM (#3897148)

Even if you only have $5 in your purloined wallet, you report that you had $500. If the Reds or somebody "compensates" you, easy $495!

31. UCCF Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:16 PM (#3897157)

A 34 year old woman was shot and killed in Milwaukee on Sunday when she refused to give up her purse which included a laptop and business information. She had 7 children and was pregnant with twins.

Seems like she had a history of giving it up. Wrong time to stop.

32. robinred

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:22 PM (#3897163)

at gunpoint

They were obviously tax collectors.

33. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:27 PM (#3897168)

Seems like she had a history of giving it up. Wrong time to stop.

Too soon.

They were obviously tax collectors.

Too late.

34. robinred

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:38 PM (#3897178)

I typically wear one of my cowboy hats to the game.

Hope you don't sit in the front row with Uecker, then.

35. TerpNats Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:38 PM (#3897179)

From the headline, I honestly thought this was a new grocery store near the MLB.com offices.

IIRC, there's a Great American supermarket in Cooperstown.

36. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:48 PM (#3897191)

David/33: Nice job.

Would anyone else here admit to having had a 'you better not try to mug walk' that they've used in potentially dangerous situations? While, in retrospect, I imagine it had the obvious effect, I've not been mugged.

37. Red Menace Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:51 PM (#3897193)

I think this was in reference to a Friends line, where someone says that when he was young, he thought "gunpoint" was a place, and he wondered why people keep going there.

Could I BE any more embarrassed?

38. robinred

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 05:54 PM (#3897199)

Yeah, I missed #15 when I scanned the thread to see if anyone had used it yet.

The other possibility is that they were enforcing the seat belt laws.

39. Didi Dodo Doodoo (1k5v3L)