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Here in central Alabama, we tend to have many hot, humid, and breezeless days and nights. With many of the parents sitting closer and closer to the field, the cigarette smoke can nearly choke you on some nights. I have been in "B" position as a BU at some parks and have a hard time with the smoke. Do the leagues that you work restrict smoking in the stands? Is this a problem in your area? The city council is considering a smoking free ordinance for public places including ballparks.
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Most of our games use ball fields on elementary and junior high school grounds, which are posted no smoking areas, so we don't have the problem.
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My father says that when he attended night games at the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, a thick cloud of cigar smoke was visible high over the field. Probably more than half the spectators were smoking, mostly cigars.
Today, smoking is banned at Yankee Stadium and, I have just been told, in all MLB parks. In New Jersey, smoking is banned within some distance (1000 feet?) of school property. (Even people who live across the street from a school are technically violating the law when they light up in their living room.) Since many rec games are played on school fields, smoking is prohibited at a lot of events. I watched a high school game last night, and no one in the large crowd was smoking. It's not an issue in any of the games I do. I think New York just banned smoking even in bars. Maybe banning drinking in bars is next. When I played Legion ball, a couple of guys on the team chewed tobacco, but that's a total no-no now. New Jersey even considered making it a crime for people under 18 to smoke (and, for people under 21, to drink) in their own houses. However, the governor decided that was going too far. |
I smoke, cigarettes. NOT even in the parking lots, as a spectator or ump. Here in Ca., it is against law to even smoke near a childrens play area. Just common sense, no???
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Mule, here in Ca. illegal on or around playgrounds, bars, restaraunts, ANY indoor office...etc. Drinking, NO underage, even if in parents home(guy got nailed last year for a party). 2 years ago I was back in INDY for my Father-in-laws funeral, tripped out walking into stores and folks were smoking. NO SMOKING signs all over here..... |
In Texas, it is against the law to smoke on school grounds. So, imagine my surprise when I was working a tournament at a city complex a couple of weeks ago, and I noticed a strange odor. Made mention of it to my partner. Then it dawned on us that the reason it smelled so strange was the fact that since Febuary, we hadn't smelled the smell of smoke since all we had called was high school ball.
An aside to this smoking thing though. About 4 or 5 years ago when my daughter was still playing travel ball, we were astounded when we noticed both umps walk outside the fence between innings and smoke. They each had a pack in their pocket while on the field. To me, this was the pinnacle, if pinnacle is appropriate here, in non-professionalism. Made a comment about to the TD. He said that since it is allowed in the park, they allow the umps. (He seemed to miss the part about impressionable young ladies being around.) One more aside to the smoking thing....after 26 years of smoking (during which I never smoked publically in my capacity as an umpire), last month I celebrated 5 years of being smoke free! Scott |
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No, I have not smoked since I was 16. If smoke bothers me in a public place, I move unless the venue is based on assigned areas as in a particular seat. And yes, I know you won't believe it, ;) but I have said things to folks who are inconsiderate in regards to smoking. I am not in favor of smoking bans in public places, particularly bars. If you don't like the atmosphere, don't go in. JMHO, |
"If you don't like the atmosphere, don't go in." I heartily agree. However, New Jersey answered those who objected on those grounds by claiming to be protecting the <i>workers</i> in the bars. As if the people who applied for a job in a bar had expected a smoke-free workplace.
I suspect we'll soon see bars reinventing themselves as private "clubs," where patrons pay some nominal membership fee. About 15 years ago I had to join some restaurant's "club" to get a beer in Texas. In the early 1960s, high schools around here had smoking areas for students. When I taught high school in the early 1970s, three places in the school were always full of smoke: the lavatories, the faculty lounge, and the boiler room. No more. Kids who smoked in school used to be suspended. Now they are <i>arrested.</i> [Edited by greymule on May 14th, 2003 at 12:57 PM] |
And, they way things are going, they'll soon be arrested for bringing a Big Mac to school!
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I tended bar for a little more than a decade. Anyone who applies for a job at a location with a liquor license with the expectation of a smoke-free environment is a fool. That's as stupid as people complaining about being forced to was a TV program with content to which they objected. I guess they were too damn lazy to get up and change the channel. I am a non-smoker, but am well aware that there is no entitlement due by those private business owners whose livelyhood is on the line every night. Quote:
Of course, this is also the state which the police will not go out of their way to cite a driver for running a light or stop sign, but will begin setting up roadblocks next week to trap all those dastardly scofflaws who do not wear a seat belt. Nothing like spending a quarter to save a penny. JMHO, Mike Rowe Occupied Delaware |
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