Counterfeit Tickets Bring Fans To Tears

The Florida Marlins’ first appearance in the World Series pushed the illegal ticket market to what local police called record-levels for a sporting event in South Florida.

Scalpers were selling tickets with a face value of $50 for as much as $1,000 during the first two games of the Series, and police said they’ve never seen more counterfeits.

While some Marlins fans said they didn’t mind paying such a premium to see their favorite franchise play its first World Series, there were others less fortunate who considered their purchase one of the worst investments they’ve ever made.

In what is believed to be a one-game World Series record, 90 sports fans were ejected from Game 1 of the World Series after they bought counterfeit tickets - for as much as $350 apiece - from scalpers outside Pro Player Stadium, Metro-Dade County police said. The incidents turned what were supposed to be memorable evenings into disastrous events that left some fathers and their children in tears.

“I never thought I’d ever see a grown man cry at a sporting event,” said Metro-Dade Police Capt. Alfred J. Mallete. “But I did. Twice.”

About an hour after Game 1, Mallete, a 20-year police veteran, said he was still shaken by frauds made more painful because many fans buying the phony tickets didn’t find out they purchased fakes until they arrived at their two supposed seats. There they found others in their place. It happened 40 times in Section 142. Then, 40 more times in Section 446.

“I kept saying, ‘This can’t happen again,’ and the people just kept coming,” Mallete said. “With the same two seats.”

Travel problems

Umpires Greg Kosc and Joe West were among dozens of baseball officials, fans and reporters stranded Monday when a cracked windshield canceled a World Series-bound flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Cleveland.

Continental Airlines Flight 1098 was delayed because a windshield shattered on a flight in from Cleveland earlier Monday, airline spokeswoman Donna Pratt said.

Pratt said the cause of the crack was unknown. When the flight reached cruising altitude, the outer pane of the windshield on the copilot’s side cracked. Two inner panes were not damaged.

West, who is supposed to umpire behind home plate in Game 3 tonight, and Kosc took the Florida Marlins’ charter flight to Ohio. They declined comment as they rushed to make their flight.

All flights from Fort Lauderdale to Cleveland were booked because of the Series.

Announcer falls

Florida Marlins Spanish language play-by-play announcer Felo Ramirez, who broadcast his first World Series in 1950, fell down a stairway getting off the team charter Monday and was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Ramirez underwent an MRI and other tests, but broadcast partner Manolo Alvarez said his colleague may be able to work Game 3 tonight between the Marlins and Cleveland Indians despite the accident.

Ramirez was carrying two bags when he tumbled head-first onto the tarmac, landing on the back of his head.

Viewer interest lags

This could become one of the least-watched World Series since baseball’s premier event moved to prime time.

Games 1 and 2 averaged a 15.2 overnight rating on NBC, down 6 percent from last year, Nielsen Media Research reported.

A final note … or two

Country music great Reba McIntyre will make her second World Series appearance when she sings the national anthem before tonight’s Game 3 at Cleveland.

McIntyre also sang before the 1985 World Series opener at Kansas City.