Lawsuit: Ball girls are whimps

Remember those South-Siders that stormed the field at U.S. Cellular – formerly known as Comiskey – during a ChiSox -Royals game in ‘02, only to have a different thug do the same in ‘03 (yes, during another Royals game)?

We now know William Ligue Jr. and his son (right) were bad apples, I mean, the dude did have a record (even though he only received probation for his attack to then Royals’ first-base coach Tom Gamboa). Of course, who could forget Eric Dybas, the other perpetrator, who charged the field and ganged up on umpire Laz Diaz, a mere seven months later, only to be put in jail, slapped with an aggravated battery charge, and issued a $250k bond (word’s still out on what happened to him).

Well, I thought we would’ve been past all this; the Sox won the Series in ‘05, arguably became Chi-town’s team to beat, and brought in fans in record numbers in ’06; but now that I have to come up with an offseason “Hot Transaction Action” report card for my brand o’Sox, I finally learned who’s to blame for all that rowdiness on the filed during ’02 and ’03.

T’was those pesky ball girls.

Here’s the story of Amy Wilkies, former White Sox Ball Girl (and presumably, former fan) who is taking the Sox to court for terminating her contract. Her claim? Discrimination.

Wilkes said she was fired on April 15, 2003 — the same day spectator Eric Dybas stormed onto the field during a game between the White Sox and the Kansas City Royals.

Wilkes says Sox General Manager Ken Williams told her that “recent well-publicized incidents involving unruly fans entering the field was the reason for the termination.”

But Wilkes argues in the lawsuit that being a ball girl has nothing to do with security or stopping fans from running onto the field.

In an April 27, 2003, story, a Major League Baseball official told the Sun-Times that the ball girls were replaced with security personnel in the interest of maximizing protection for the players and the umpires.

What gives, Ken-dog? First, Uribe shoots up the Italin Navy [yes, he seems to be in the clear], you then finally reach a contract agreement with a Scot Boras client – Scott Friggin’ Boras, fercrissakes!! – but now this??!?!?

Way to get off on the right foot on this off-season report! What’d the White Sox do this off-season? Try to stay the-hell out the slammer or the courts.