Fans snap ultimate on-deck selfie with Hanley Ramirez
As a fan, when you sit in a section that’s very close to the players, what would be your ultimate goal? Would it be to catch a ball, or even be handed one by a player? Maybe get a wave and a smile from someone in the dugout? Would you even dare to put “on-deck circle selfie with a player” on the list? Most people might not, but on Wednesday at Fenway Park several fans dared to try, and Hanley Ramirez granted their wish.
It was the bottom of the fourth inning of the Baltimore Orioles-Boston Red Sox game, and David Ortiz was at the plate taking hacks against Orioles reliever Odrisamer Despaigne. Hanley Ramirez was in the on-deck circle, where most players prepare to hit and take some practice swings. But Ramirez was chatting up the very friendly fans seated behind the on-deck circle (and the protective netting, of course), and having a great time.
One daring fan seated in the very front row turned around, held up her phone, and appeared to start taking pictures (which probably had various pieces of Hanley in the frame). Ramirez, who had been in an active conversation with another fan, finally noticed the woman with her phone in the universally recognized selfie position. So he turned to the phone, got in the frame, and the fan snapped an awesome on-deck selfie with Hanley Ramirez. While waiting for Ortiz to finish his at-bat, Ramirez even had time to take a second on-deck selfie with a different fan.
Of course, some people (and players, too) don’t think that players should take time out of their preparation routines to interact with the fans, or even recognize that they’re around at all. And in-game fan interaction (especially interactions that produce selfies) is rare. But if players feel comfortable with it, there’s no reason it shouldn’t happen. It gives fans (like those selfie seekers) a great memory and an experience they won’t forget. So the few seconds Hanley Ramirez dedicated to those on-deck selfies were well worth it — and it probably earned him some new lifelong fans.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
