04/15/24
January 10, 2004
AP accidentally releases hundreds of sports celeb's numbers to it's media customers.: I got the list early yesterday morning and wasn't sure what it was, since I hadn't heard of it going around. But now through the wonders of cyberspace, I can actually call Pete Rose and ask if he gambled against the Reds, I can call Torre and Zim to ask about George, I can call George to ask about Torre and Zim, and if no one else is home, I can reach OJ where he is probably out looking for the real killers.
posted by jerseygirl to culture at 11:10 PM - 21 comments
Can you call Jeff O'Neill and maybe ask him why he can't score a freakin' goal? Thanks in advance. :P
posted by NoMich at 11:36 PM on January 10, 2004
If I were a more vindictive man, I'd love to get Bill Bavasi's phone number so I could ask him how trading for Quinton McCracken is supposed to help my favorite team.
posted by jeffmshaw at 12:12 AM on January 11, 2004
The list was published about a week ago on the site that shall not be named. I tried about 7 numbers out of curiousity and not one worked. Sadly.
posted by justgary at 01:31 AM on January 11, 2004
I see Gary Bettman's home phone number is on that list. Hmmm...
posted by mkn at 01:54 AM on January 11, 2004
Out of curiousity, who did you try? I added Barry Zito to my buddy list.
posted by jerseygirl at 08:28 AM on January 11, 2004
To tell you the truth jg I don't remember. The first one I tried was Clemens, which was out of service. From there I gradually went down in terms of fame level. No luck, however.
posted by justgary at 11:19 AM on January 11, 2004
This reminds me of the time back in college when I had internships at Billboard Magazine and A&M Records. Met a few celebs but could not really ever think of anything worth asking that they would actually answer rather than sputtering at my impertinence.
posted by billsaysthis at 01:33 PM on January 11, 2004
This is not nearly as cool as the time I got Paul Lynde's home number and phoned to ask if he had Prince Albert in a can. What is the fascination with bothering these people? Are they any less likely to be supremely annoyed by anonymous calls than you or I?
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:54 PM on January 11, 2004
The story really isn't "go bother these people" or I would have posted the numbers myself.
posted by jerseygirl at 05:07 PM on January 11, 2004
Justgary, if any of the stars had answered, what were you planning to say?
posted by billsaysthis at 06:44 PM on January 11, 2004
if any of the stars had answered, what were you planning to say? To tell you the truth, I didn't even think that far ahead. Probably just 'wrong number'. But I never thought the numbers would work (and none did), and until I saw it posted here I didn't even think the story was real, and calling a few of the numbers myself with none working led me to believe I was correct. I was just curious. I also knew if the story was true they would probably change numbers at first notice. As far as bothering them I didn't post the numbers, nor the story. If I HAD woken Clemens up at 9 in the morning I'd just have to live with the guilt. But somehow, I'd get over it. /sarcasm.
posted by justgary at 09:07 PM on January 11, 2004
some of them do work. The list looks old so many numbers had probably already been disconnected, and now I bet most are, but apparently Bill Walton has a funny message on his machine, and Tony LaRussa has been caught in a decent enough mood to talk baseball for a few minutes. Another board I read is populated by people with a lot of extra time on their hands that have been calling. A few others answered too but I can't remember who they said they were.
posted by Bernreuther at 10:52 PM on January 11, 2004
I doubt any of them were as cool as the email forward I got 5 years ago with Peter McNeely's home number. Every once in a while when I'm feeling down, I give it a ring to listen to the machine. Just the opening "WHOOOOSSHH, The Harricaine Peta McNeely . . . " brightens my day.
posted by yerfatma at 06:18 AM on January 12, 2004
Personally, I was hoping Grady Little's number was on that list. Him or Tim McCarver. I believe most of those numbers are/were correct at one point -- just going by the zipcodes and 3-digit exchanges that seem familiar to me. It would be an awful lot of work to generate a list like that to make it appear authentic. At this point, with the story hitting PTI now and all that, they've probably been disconnected for the most part. I am still holding out hope that Barry Zito, Rich Aurilia or Tim Hudson sign on to AOL at some point.
posted by jerseygirl at 06:57 AM on January 12, 2004
Why does not being the one to post the numbers or the story excuse the behavior? Because a mistake was made by some poor sap at AP, that gives the general public the right to bother these folks with calls? I know it's not the end of the world or anything ... just curious why they should be treated any differently than anyone else.
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:21 AM on January 12, 2004
What behavior are you trying to call out here, fraz? people trying the numbers or people merely discussing it?
posted by jerseygirl at 09:36 AM on January 12, 2004
seems that John Wooden's number is correct on the list. (scroll down)
posted by corpse at 03:55 PM on January 13, 2004
Discussing it is no big deal. I'm just trying to grasp why anyone would think it's cool to call these people just because their phone numbers were inadvertently released. I'd bet every single one of them was unlisted, so it's not like they were public information before. Just seems invasive and childish to me is all.
posted by wfrazerjr at 06:20 PM on January 13, 2004
SportsFilter: Web home of the childish invaders!
posted by billsaysthis at 07:40 PM on January 13, 2004
I'm just trying to grasp why anyone would think it's cool to call these people just because their phone numbers were inadvertently released. I didn't think it was 'cool', I just didn't believe it. Call it detective work. Just seems invasive and childish to me is all. Of course it is. Its also to be expected. Put Michael Jackson's number out tomorrow and half the world will be trying it out. That's the real world. Childish? Sure. Naive to think its gonna happen? You bet. In the big picture, not a big deal. I doubt it caused anyone much trouble, and if it did, look to those who released it.
posted by justgary at 09:47 PM on January 13, 2004
You'd be surprised how many ball players use aol, too.