Pittsburgh Pirates Deny 8Yr Old Fan Autograph of Favorite Player Neil Walker Until He Donates to Charity

This is pretty sad! A young Pittsburgh Pirates fan picked up a piece of paper and a pen and wrote his favorite player, Pittsburgh infielder Neil Walker, a letter, asking for his autograph.

Pittsburgh Pirates Deny 8Yr Old Fan Autograph of Favorite Player Neil Walker Until He Donates to Charity

Pittsburgh Pirates Deny 8Yr Old Fan Autograph of Favorite Player Neil Walker Until He Donates to Charity

Instead of receiving a quick note from the player with the signature, as what should have happened, the young Pirates fan received an official Pittsburgh Pirates letter informing the 8 year old fan that he would need to donate at least $5 to a Pirates charity in order to get the autograph.

I’m sorry, but this makes me think that the Pirates baseball team is a classless organization. Ever since I can remember, kids have sought out the autographs of the players they liked, and I have never in my life heard of a team interfering with the player giving the autograph, and asking for a donation before an autograph would be given.

A few complete idiots on Twitter and elsewhere are sticking up for the Pirates, saying stupid things like “if this kid has the ability to write/mail the pirates he has the ability to donate $5”

Granted it is for charity, but the signature is for an 8 year old kid, not someone with a job. Just think how different things for baseball would be today if everyone who received an autograph from an MLB player had to first donate to a charity the club endorses? I can tell you that there would be far less autographs of the greats around, and the sport of baseball would not be what it is today.

The reason why baseball has become America’s Sport is because kids were able to stand around for a while and have a chance to meet their heroes, but if more teams are taking the same course as the Pittsburgh Pirates, the sport of baseball will soon be behind Hockey in terms of popularity, and fan base. It might take a while, but it will happen.

The Pittsburgh Pirates organization needs to send this kid the autograph he asked for TODAY, and make donating to the charity optional for future autographs. If this doesn’t happen, I see a very bleak future for the Pirates baseball Team!

An 8-year-old Pirates fan named Colin wrote an adorable letter to Pittsburgh infielder Neil Walker, who’s his favorite player, asking for his autograph.

This should end with Walker giving him the autograph and everyone walking away satisfied, right? Wrong.

Just look at the juxtaposition of the two letters: one a cute child’s innocent request, the other a soul-crushing corporate directive written on company letterhead.

It doesn’t appear as if there’s a minimum donation the Pirates are asking for, and it’s great that the money would go to charity. But at the end of the day, Pittsburgh “crushed” the feelings of an 8-year-old kid. That’s never good.

Stand Up To Government Corruption and Hypocrisy – usbacklash.org