Reaction To Tantrum A Mirror Of Society

Robbie Alomar may be a hero in Baltimore after his two clutch hits, including a 12th-inning home run Saturday, helped the Orioles advance in the American League playoffs. But he’s a jerk in my book. Alomar? He’s the talented Baltimore second baseman who punctuated a temper tantrum at home plate Sept. 27 by spitting in umpire John Hirschbeck’s face. The AL should have suspended Alomar right then. But there was a playoff series against Cleveland to play. As AL President Gene Budig wrung his hands, the umps threatened to boycott the playoffs unless Alomar was disciplined. Of course, all the uproar was for show. A U.S. District judge ruled that the umps didn’t have grounds to break their labor contract by striking. And Alomar played. Meanwhile, Baltimore fans booed the umps when they appeared at Camden Yards for a playoff game with their tails tucked between their legs. A game, or a society, can’t endure when it allows such blatant disregard for authority.

Hey, don’t blame me, the trash can did it

So, you don’t think we need tort reform? Consider the sad saga of Ohio-based Rubbermaid Inc. Prior to New Year’s Day 1992, Rubbermaid provided the Idaho Statehouse with wastebaskets, one of which made its way into state worker Jean McNeil’s cubby hole in the attorney general’s office. As you will recall, Ms. McNeil ignited a New Year’s Day fire that caused $3.4 million damage by emptying her ashtray into her Rubbermaid trash can. Or should I say the wastebasket caused the damage by not containing McNeil’s burning cigarette butts? A District Court held Rubbermaid blameless. But the Idaho Supreme Court recently overturned that ruling and sent the case back to the lower court. Hmmm. I’m surprised the state didn’t sue the manufacturer of McNeil’s cigarettes, too. And the company that provided her lighter. And the paper companies that produced the other trash that line McNeil’s can. Etc. Trash cans don’t start fires. People do.

Sexton retires with a fat wallet

Hmmm. Fire Chief Frank Sexton, 63, negotiated a sweet retirement deal with Coeur d’Alene: a one-time payment of $70,000, plus medical benefits until age 65. Most of us working stiffs in the private sector would quit right now if we could pull off something like that. Instead, we’d be lucky to get a gold-plated watch and a $25 gift certificate to hang ‘em up. Sexton wasn’t a flashy chief. Until now, his greatest accomplishment was to survive ex-Mayor Ray Stone’s purge of department heads in the mid-1980s. But that hardly qualifies him for 70,000 big ones now.

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