I had posted on the Facebook NY Yankee Fantasy Camp page my ten-part series on the aforementioned camp, a page that requires admission. All the comments were fun and complimentary. The day I posted number 10 it was apparently removed by the administrators. This was brought to my attention by an unhappy camper, specifically for the suggestion I made that the camp should me gentlemen only. There was a small cabal who didn’t like my suggestion.
This blog I posted the next day, and it was taken down from the page within an hour, and I am (I think) no longer able to have access. Here is the affronting response, which I have subsequently posted on my regular Facebook page.
I received some guff from folks who were offended by a single paragraph in my ten-part series on the NY Yankee Fantasy Camp held in Tampa in January 2023, specifically number 10: titled Compliments and Suggestions. For those who don’t recall or have not read and also to hear the primal screams I give you the paragraph in total, here:
· There were two females at camp, which is ridiculous. One was an excellent ballplayer, but that’s not the point. There’s a Ladies Camp and a Family Camp and I pray that the Yankees aren’t going too woke or I may start watching the NBA. I am sure there is an understandable reason complete with tears and violins and legal concerns, and maybe one lady was an old girlfriend of Mickey Mantle’s, but… guys only, please.
That’s it.
I re-read, twice, all the criticism. Some interesting points were made, mostly through personal qualification, to make a statement. I can agree in parts and disagree in others, yet I am disappointed in the personal assaults… but unsurprised.
To the nasty detractors:
It must be difficult to trip over your very low bar of being offended, which is not my responsibility, and then to assume the faux moral high ground of righteous indignation. On a single paragraph in a humorous piece, you are wasting your soapbox.
I will not apologize, further qualify my statements, or explain what I have written. Self-deprecating humor is a style mastered by better writers than me. Breaking chops is now not allowed from a visible third rail, apparently.
I attacked no one personally, but I have been told I am not worthy of the NY Yankee uniform. Any Slob can wear stretchy polyester if they pay the freight. I was also assailed through implication that I am misogynistic and a racist. Wow. I have written much about a lot of things, but never has the opprobrium reached that kind of contemptible immaturity. Most of the weird criticism is from those who did not read carefully enough to get my own words correct. Is fantasy camp the predicate, or lecturing those with a differing opinion?
I am left to wonder: why so sensitive on a personal level? I will think on that and perhaps post at a later date. PM on Facebook is a nice tool, and supporting comments to me are outpacing the negative criticism, from people who do not know me at all (men and women), by a little less than 4 to 1. Yes, PM is not public, but given the nastiness demonstrated by some who posted I can understand why so many of our peers don’t use Facebook in general if at all.
Women in camp? Not my call; I’m not in charge. The Yankees are, and I suggest you go full on and establish a 50/50 gender rule, or at least 2 per team. Someone should run with it. Meet your moment.
To those detractors who used this forum for personal attacks, thank you. You have made my point.
I picked Duke to go all the way. And it’s nice to see the Knicks with a decent team.
RIP Joe Pepitone.
Peace. Out.