Posted on 10/26/2016 8:16:13 PM PDT by nickcarraway
die-hard Indians fan didn't think twice about giving up his seat when he noticed former Cleveland Indians player Kenny Lofton struggling to get on a flight to Cleveland.
After all, Lofton was supposed to throw out the first pitch for Game 1 of the World Series.
Ken Kostal, of Marblehead, Ohio, had just finished judging the National Chili Cook-off in Reno, Nevada, and was hoping to catch a red-eye flight home out of Los Angeles Monday night, but the plane was overbooked and delayed twice.
When the plane was finally ready to leave, Kostal said he was in the last group to board when former outfielder Kenny Lofton came to the gate.
View image on Twitter View image on Twitter Follow Kenny Lofton ✔ @Kenny_Lofton7 My selfie during the first pitch of the 2016 World Series Cubs-Indians #rallytogether 5:38 PM - 25 Oct 2016 1,289 1,289 Retweets 4,748 4,748 likes "Kenny Lofton went walking by and he's about four or five people up and a couple people started taking his picture and he made the comment, 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to get on this plane,'" Kostal told WJW.
Kostal, who owns the Big Boppers Restaurant in Marblehead, said he is a huge Indians fan and was a season ticket holder with other friends in the 90's when Lofton was playing, so he knows who he is.
He also knew Lofton was chosen to throw out the first pitch at the opening game of the World Series.
Kostal believes Lofton may have been scheduled for one of several other flights that were cancelled and was doing his best to get on another flight to Cleveland.
"When he got closer, you know, he had some type of ticket but it obviously wasn't the right ticket and me being a Cleveland fan I said, 'I'll give you my ticket' and he looked at me and said, 'I might take you up on it,'" said Kostal.
Kostal said Lofton went to the desk at the gate and while talking with the employee at the desk motioned his way.
With Kostal's blessing, the employee scratched off his name and wrote Lofton's on the ticket.
He said the airline employee warned him she could not give him anything in exchange for giving up his seat, but it didn't matter.
For Kostal, a selfie with the former Indians outfielder was payment enough. Lofton also gave him his business card in exchange for a Big Boppers pen.
Kostal says he was re-scheduled for another flight that arrived in Cleveland at 5 p.m., but e-mailed Lofton to see how the flight went and Lofton responded.
He said Lofton told him he would try to get an autographed bat for him to hang in the restaurant, but Kostal said that wasn't important.
Lofton also promised to give him a shout-out on a nationally-televised sports program, which he did on Tuesday.
On social media, some Indians fans hoped Kostal could get a World Series ticket for his sacrifice.
Kostal said he didn't have plans to go to a World Series game because of his work requirements.
Kostal's wife, Dona, told WJW that she expected her husband to be at the restaurant at 8 a.m., but, since he wasn't, she had to take the day off from her job to work at the restaurant, but she wasn't complaining.
Although she isn't as familiar with sports figures as her husband, she does know who Lofton is and understands why her husband was willing to give up his seat.
Class Act, well done to a great American! How better to represent the type of America we all desire to live in and be a citizen of. Thank you!
An old white guy business owner, saved the day and gave up his seat to a black former athlete. The athlete was gracious and thankful, the businessman was selfless.
If the media pumped all the stories that happen like this every day, it would have killed all this BLM crap before it ever started.
Great ‘feel good’ story... thanks.
Great ‘feel good’ story... thanks.
Great story
I love it when Americans show our greatness! Well done, Mr Kostal!
I followed Kenny Lofton since he was a basketball star for the University of Arizona. I wished him well when he went to the World Series in 1995 with the Indians (opposite my Atlanta Braves) and again with the SF Giants in 2002. How close he came to winning the championship both times. He has always been a class act.
Great story.
Great story.
Drove Lofton around L.A. In a limo one night. He was a c-nt. *hint* the missing letter is a u.
Lofton makes millions each year. Couldn’t he peeled off several hundred to the passenger who gave up his seat? Cheapskate.
I doubt he “makes millions each year” - how long has it been since he played? The athletes that don’t go broke are the ones that learn to say no. It was a nice thing for the guy to do, but there was no obligation (financial or moral) for Lofton to peel off several hundreds.
Lofton retired in 2007. Not long ago, he owned a television production company and was thought to be worth at least $20 million. This might have been some reality-show promotion stunt.
He was worth $20 million or so recently. A few hundred wouldn’t destroy his life style. He took advantage of the nice guy.
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