Hi there, My name is Yvonne and i just read the article regarding Lt Andy Baldwin going to the game with the Barnstormers and throwing a ball.. One of my sons plays Baseball but he plays it down in Auckland, NZ, i guess you would call it the Little Leagues.Anyway, thanks for the article and the pictures I have read some of the comments on this and this one caught me.Here in NZ we have just started watching "The Batchelor" with Lt Andy Baldwin on it with some 25 young women. I guess it must be hard to find the love of your life especially in this world . I watched in horror as some went catty, talking silly and then trying push ups, double flips to gain his attention and the end of the rose ceremony, one girl was distraught at not getting a rose. i thought was great was the girl singing the National Anthem, what a pride to hear that sang to you and baking Andy a birthday cake even though it was abit lopsided, the thought counted because it was his birthday. Here we have "God Save Our Queen" and i also have the National Anthem of Australia "Advance Australia Fair", these brings tears to my eyes as i am a Kiwi who became Australian but also has British citizenship due to my parents.The Batchelor is a reality show where someone wants to find true love as it has not presented itself yet, I know i have not found my soulmate even though i have been married (once) but these women are mature women and know their own minds, we'll i hope they do, you can have fun but not to the point of being ridiculous and trying to beat each other to the prize with childish games and being catty. I have not seen the full "The Batchelor" series and i know i would never act like these women did during the first night especially when i met a guy, they maybe very nice young women, so it comes down to personality, views, caring and maturity that makes a difference. But it must be hard to have to go on National TV to try and find someone and of course, they edit alot of the stuff and give us the juicy stuff. What's wrong with having abit of fun now and again. Some of the reviews that i have seen with what they do as far as activities seems fun as i love driving all sorts of things ie: driving 18wheelers (i drive), riding horses, abseiling, skiing (even though i look silly doing it), anything outdoors and adventurous is my scene. I do not think it undermines Lt Andy Baldwin as a Naval Officer or as a person or demeans the US Navy, it brings to light all the good things that he has done, his goals, his ambitions, his strengths, his personality and i like funny guys that can laugh or then cry at things, it only makes them so much better with everything. It shows a caring side to the Navy of the men and women who are enlisted in it. So, i say, stop pointing fingers & let's just give him a break, it must be hard now for him, but life is never easy and it has its challanges and it is all up to us how we want to make it a better place for us and how we use these challanges to further better ourselves and our communities. I would want to have my kids look up to someone like Lt Andy Baldwin (US Navy) as a hero, as a humanitarin, we are not all perfect and we do make mistakes but we try to be genuine, sincere, humane and civil. My kid's and I had a hero who was a US Cpl Marine and unfortunately for us and his family, we lost him when he died in Aug 2005 in Haditha, Iraq from an IED attack on his vehicle, he was awarded medals for his bravery in 2003 and gave his life for freedom so we all need hero's and thanks to their generosity, sacrifice and committment for a better world. God Bless America and all that Serve her. I am not a US citizen but i have the belief that America is great and it's people are decent and caring people. I hold a great lot of respect for them.

Yvonne M, Akl, NZ

What ya jealous you weren't picked for the Bachelor there Pedro? Time to grow up buddy boy.

Good Evening Folks of Pennsylvania

I have never seen the entire show of the Bachelor here in NZ as it has just started only last week. I have already posted about this article already and i have read some of the old stuff back from last year and it is a shame to see that people like to criticise this guy.

My eldest brother went on a dating game here in NZ nearly 20 years ago and that was just an hour, he found a girl but alas they were not compatiable, so it did not work, so he went to Canada and Britian to find a wife but came back with no luck, he didn't find a NZ bride and then in 1999 he found a Russian bride, they were together for about 4 yrs and then it ended and now he is very happily married to another Russian girl who has an older daughter and she is fabulous and they now have a 4 yr old girl. My youngest brother was nearly the same but he married a Mainland Chinese girl and they have been married for awhile and have a near 5 year old son. Both elder sisters married Kiwi blokes and i married and divorced an Australian as even after 6 years of marriage, i found out he had deep nasty secrets from his past that were not suitable so i left with our kids, so you never know if you are compatiable or not whether for a month or years later, people change in the real world, it is how you communicate and work together that makes the difference. No matter what time it takes you really do not know anyone and i think it took guts for Andy to go on a TV show to find someone, unfortunately it didn't work out, we all make mistakes but at least he tried and they are friends. My Scottish Mother and my English Father have been married for nearly 50 years and that is unique in this day and age.

He does not have to have his 15mins of fame as he has always been up there with his triathlons, helping people. We should be looking at what he has done to help others less fortunate and ok he is advertising the US Navy but what is wrong with that, that is his job. It is not his fault that he gets photographed nearly everywhere he goes and being LA, most people over there, (the guys do not wear shirts and why not show off his nice physique, he worked hard to get it, look at Matt - Fools Gold - Actor). At least he is not abusing people, beating up people, robbing people, he is actually doing something good and setting up a non profit organisation, that says something, in my book anyway. People like him has helped my family as my dad has had 2 lots of cancer and my sister up from me has had cancer, a non profit organisation helped them especially my dad.

So let's think how we would feel and think if we did something to make things better and then we had people rubbishing us because we went on tv for something else, i know we wouldn't like it, you guys should be proud of him whether he has his shirt on or not, give him a break, he deserves happiness, he wants to help people and bring serious issues up in public so they can be solved instead of being put under the carpet. Good on you Andy,and keep up the good work and keep being yourself, An Officer and a Gentleman, not many of them around anymore..

That is all i have to say.

Yvonne, Akl, NZ

You got me again lysol. Yep. Ya know I was thinking about it yesterday. Ditch my beautiful wife, wonderful daughter, great dog, and a great lifestyle all so I could be the next bachelor. I really do want to throw out the ball at the lowest level of minor league baseball. In fact, maybe I can postpone vacation this year in order to do so. I truly am jealous.
Are you that desparate that you have to go back to a two week old article?

Hey Pedro,

If you were single maybe that wouldn't be a bad idea, everyone can do it, my brother did it but it wasn't "The Bachelor" but Perfect Date. I know the article was 2 weeks ago but hey, i am in good ole NZ and i guess we find out things out abit later than everyone else and i just stumbled onto it.

Hey, i wonder what it would feel like to have thousands in the stands at a baseball game and throw the ball in, that would be cool. My 9 yr old plays baseball down here in NZ and played in Qld, Australia but we do not get the crowds like you good folks do.

Amazing, anyway.

Yvonne
Akl
NZ

P.S. Who is desperate, surely not me!!!!!!!!!!!