Dangerous assignments

Went to a high school hoops game last night and had a gun shoved in my face, saw and admin. whacked with a rock and almost got pulled away by the police as part of a brawl that enveloped around me. Anybody have a worse night?

 

Next time take Big Ragu with you.

You have me topped.

 

The guy who got whacked with a rock

 

The school janitor?

 

Called a hoops game in Montgomery once, where a fight broke out in the stands after a scuffle on the court.

Finished the game with 18 people in the gym: three on one team, four on the other, bookkeeper, clock operator, two coaches, three officials, four policemen.

It was pretty scary walking out after the game ended.

 

Not worse than that, but I did see somebody maced during a postgame celebration at a basketball playoff game in northeast Louisiana. The gym was so packed, the only way I got in was with a press badge. Even then, I had to sit on the baseline because there was no room anywhere else. Thank God the home team won. That school was in the 'hood and had a well-earned rep for extremely unruly fans.

I also got bowled over at an Ole Miss game once. Buncha knuckleheads stormed the field after they beat Mississippi State and I got a two-handed shove right in the back. Went head over heels, got knocked silly for a second, and my notebook went flying. At least there weren't a lot of them, so I wasn't trampled.
And my editor got a nomination for editor of the year. Apparently he saw the guy coming and didn't tell me. Bastard.

 

Ragu would have done a Jet Li on the gun, used his laser vision to demolish the rock, then gone Matrix on the brawlers.

Then he would have cranked out an award-winning story and sidebar on the game itself.

 

You could have sat next to fudgepack...

 

Slappy and Mitch A. are working on mysteries without any clues.

 

I've been in a swaying press box in College Station, Texas.

 

Son, you haven't lived until you go cover a basketbrawl between Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Philander Smith, and you're the only white person in the hizzouse.

 

I guess I could have been clearer on what happened.

The first instance was of me walking with a little white lady who is an admin. at the North St. Louis city school. I got there 1:15 before the varsity game to a sold out gym and had to pull out the press badge to get in. She was letting me in the door and turned when one of the turned away kids yelled her name. She turned around and ... WHACK! For those of you who don't know layout of the STL the North City isn't exactly where a white guy (or anybody who can help it) wants to be.

Second was of me heading out heavy door which was only exit 45 min. after game after interviews were over. Door clicked locked behind me and I was standing there -- jaw agape -- at two brawls around me.

Third was of me walking to car in lot and having gun pulled on me by student/kid. Not fun.