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 (weekly page for readers to post their views in the Richmond Times-Dispatch)

July 3, 1994

Braves catcher earns dubious triple crown

Dear Sports Editor:
If Richmond Braves catcher Tyler Houston really said, as you reported in today's Sports section, that he did not throw his mitt at the home plate umpire after being ejected from the June 28 Pawtucket game, then he has completed the triple crown of jerkdom.

I was sitting in Row K directly behind the dugout, and Mr. Houston clearly did throw his mitt at the umpire. Specifically, he stormed toward the dugout with an escort of teammates, stopped at the top step of the dugout, turned back toward home plate and threw the mitt overhand. It landed short of its target, several feet away from the feet of umpire Brian Gibbons, who was bent over, holding his face, and looking down and away from him.


If Tyler Crybaby really denied throwing his mitt, then his triple crown is for (1) being a liar; (2) being stupid (why start an argument with the umpire after making an inning-ending putout?); and (3) being a lousy baserunner (if he had correctly executed a slide into home earlier in the game, in which he missed the plate and was tagged out despite beating the throw, the Braves would have won in regulation and not tortured the loyal, albeit few fans who stayed for the entire 17-inning debacle.)

John D'Angelo