On Bobblehead Taste...
by Carl Bell, Cats' Owner/CEO

The Fort Worth Cats take great pride in the fact that we have from day one, provided the fans of Fort Worth and North Texas with the very best in minor league baseball along with quality, entertaining family fun and concerts and events in an historic and yet modern facility in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. The entertainment we provide has always been, and will always be, in good taste and in keeping with the family atmosphere and baseball professionalism we try to display in our front office and on the field... where we have won three championships in a row. We are by no means perfect, but I believe our record speaks for itself.

The bobbleheads we have promoted, as an example, have been to honor individuals, whether "vintage Cats" like Duke Snider and Maury Wills and Bobby Bragan; or public figures like CBS newsman and Fort Worth native son Bob Schieffer and Fort Worth's Mayor Mike Moncrief... We have fun with it, of course... After all, the bobble head itself is intended to be a caricature and to be a "funny likeness"... But there is a limit to the humor.

Other minor league teams have chosen to use promotions and gimmicks with which we disagree. An example of this is the unfortunate decision by the St. Paul Saints to give away a "rest room stall" item, labeling it as a "bobble head, or bobble feet", clearly referring to and drawing more attention to a most unfortunate occurrence in the recent past, at the St. Paul/Minneapolis airport men's room, involving the arrest of a political figure.

Now, this is a free country, and others can make their own decisions about what constitutes good or bad taste. I am not in any way trying to be self-righteous or to moralize or get into a debate with any club, in our own league or anywhere, about what constitutes good humor, and good marketing -- even if on the edge. It is simply that as an owner in our league, and with the visibility that our team and organization has throughout our state and indeed the entire country, for which we are most grateful, I feel it is my right and even obligation to state publicly that I disagree strongly with this type of give-away item at a family event and minor league baseball game.

 The Fort Worth Cats organization would never give out an item, or have an on-field skit, that any parent or grandparent would not want, or be uncomfortable trying, to explain to a seven-year-old child... That's why children and grandchildren are not permitted -- hopefully -- to watch the late night humor on Leno, Letterman or Saturday Night Live... It's on these types of shows that jokes about sexual indiscretions, whether by Entertainers, Senators, Governors or even Presidents, are fair game... I'm not a prude; I can laugh at this kind of humor too (sometimes just to soothe my shock or anger), even if it involves the darker side of political and public figures...

Everyone has their own taste... But there is no place for this kind of attempt at humor, in my view, at a family venue event like an evening of quality baseball and fun at LaGrave Field. And our fans can be sure of that...

My name is Carl Bell, and I approve this message...