Dodger Peanut Pitchers ‘Shelled’ by New Law

Not all of baseball’s problems ended with the strike settlement. Now there’s the controversy over whether the vendors should be allowed to pitch peanut bags at Dodger Stadium.

Ignoring assurances from Mayor Tom Bradley and City Atty. James Hahn--not to mention protests from Bradley’s wife, Ethel--the Dodgers’ concessionaire stilled the arms of its vendors Wednesday night in order to study a new city ordinance that prohibits the throwing of objects in the stands.

“I’m confused,” said Roger (The Peanut Man) Owens, the behind-the-back tosser extraordinaire. Like the other goober sellers, he was ordered to hand-deliver nuts only.

His confusion was understandable. Owens and his colleagues had first been hit with a prohibition on peanut-pitching on Sunday. Then it was lifted Monday. Then it was reimposed early Wednesday evening.

President Tom Arthur of Arthur Food Services, the Dodger Stadium concessionaire, explained: “We want to further study the insurance aspects (of the new ordinance).”

The ordinance, which became law last week, makes it illegal for any fan to “intentionally throw, discharge, launch or spill any solid or liquid substance.” But it excludes “service personnel.”

“We’re not trying to take the peanuts out of Roger’s hands,” Hahn said, adding sarcastically, “it doesn’t apply to the participants either. We’re not trying to take the football out of (Raider quarterback Jim) Plunkett’s hands. We’re talking about the people who throw beer and dangerous objects. We wanted it in effect for the start of football season because we get more complaints at football games.”

One of the first Dodger fans to detect a peanut ban was Ethel Bradley, who noticed that Owens was neglecting his passing game Sunday. He told her why. She phoned Hahn the next day.

“She said: ‘What is all this? Roger is despondent. The fans are signing petitions. You have to straighten this out,’ ” Hahn recalled Wednesday.

Hahn informed Bradley that vendors were free to launch their shelled missiles. The mayor formally presented the city attorney’s opinion to Owens in a home plate ceremony before Tuesday’s Dodger game.

“I’m real happy,” Owens said afterward. “It was sad to see the fans holding their hands out, wanting me to pitch them a bag. It was almost like my arms had been cut off.”

Then came the latest ban.

“This (peanut-bag tossing) seems cute unless someone gets hurt,” Arthur said. “Years ago, we had a lady injured when she got hit by a bag while drinking a cup of coffee.”

Arthur said there would be no airborne bags at today’s afternoon game, either. The contest is the last game of the Dodgers’ home stand.

“This will give us time to study the ordinance,” he said. Owens’ legion of fans in the loge section were not happy.

“We bring people from out of town here and brag about him,” said Pam Nelson of Northridge. “Half the fun of buying peanuts is to have him throw them to us.”

“At least when the games got dull we could always watch his (Owens’ pitching),” said John Price, a sheriff’s deputy. “He’s as much a part of baseball as the seventh-inning stretch.”

Peanut-hurling has brought fame for Owens, who has made two appearances on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, has received a plaque from the City Council (he gave each member a behind-the-back toss of peanuts) and has been featured on a half-hour special on Japanese television.

And a few bucks, too. The Peanut Man sells between 1,100 and 1,400 bags a game, and gets to keep a dime for each bag.

Though a member of Local 11, Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, the Peanut Man said that, whatever the recent troubles, he has never considered emulating the fellows on the field and going on strike.

“If the good Lord allows me, I’ll still be pitching when I’m 65 or 70,” he said. “Luckily, I’ve never had peanut elbow.”