I'd like to commend the Cleveland Indians' fans.  They're loud, rowdy, and 
great supporters of their team.  They're also (except for one idiot who threw 
something at Bobby Bonilla on Friday) apparently classy.  They certainly let 
Robbie Alomar have it (just as fans let Albert Belle have it in every stadium 
except the Jake), but they did so in a proper manner (I thought the "spit 
shields" were ingenious) by loudly booing his every move, and some folks 
turned away when he batted.  Despite the too-lenient suspension stupidly 
imposed by the A.L. President (should have been at least ten games or two 
weeks without pay at the start of the 1997 season), Alomar has, and will 
continue to be, punished by the fans and media.  What he did to himself and 
his reputation by spitting on Hirschbeck is a more severe punishment than any 
baseball official could have applied.  Fortunately, some good came out of the 
situation - more attention paid to the terrible condition that took the life 
of Hirschbeck's son.  Hopefully, the publicity will generate more research 
dollars.
I hope the Yankee fans, who have earned a reputation for being total jerks, 
will handle the situation with similar class.  
--- MsgedSQ/2 3.35
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