Photo: Bob Levey (Getty)
I’ve been covering sports as a local reporter for more than a decade. While most athletes have their own unique set of quirks, there’s no question that baseball players in particular are a special breed. In fact, they really like punches to the face. But what if the knuckle doing the punching belonged to the same person as the face?
What does that mean? It mean Houston Astros reliever Ken Giles lost his mind, punching himself in the face after giving up a bunch of runs against the Yankees this week.
Don’t believe me? Whoomp, here it is.
Ken Giles gives up three runs and … punches himself in the face? #yankees #astros pic.twitter.com/juxhZ3ZtsP
— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) May 2, 2018
Mr. Giles was especially upset because the game was knotted up 0-0 when he entered in the ninth inning. He immediately gave up four runs — including a bomb to Gary Sanchez — essentially losing it and therefore prompting the chest beating, uppercut-to-the-face, dugout tantrum of the year.
Isn’t baseball grand?
Maybe this is why no one is showing up anymore: Only 974 People Showed Up To Watch This Major League Baseball Game
Giles’ responsed to the gesture right after the loss, admitting that he “made a horrible pitch” and that Sanchez “deserved to hit it out of the park.”
Giles says “I effed up today. It’s all on me.” pic.twitter.com/Kqp96rjBRZ
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) May 2, 2018
While we’re talking about “different breeds” of athletes, hockey players certainly fall into that category as well. Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien “celebrated” a game-tying goal this week by punching teammates Nikolaj Ehlers and Paul Stastny in the face, hard.
I’m so happy I’m not a professional athlete.
Josh Helmuth is a sports reporter in St. Louis who contributes to Mandatory. He likes to run marathons. Follow him here.
