Los Angeles Dodgers shut down peanut-hurling man to protect fans

A famous Los Angeles Dodgers vendor has been banned from throwing peanuts due to safety concerns. Roger Owens has been selling and pitching peanuts at the Dodger Stadium since it opened in 1962. Earlier, he sold peanuts at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Levy Restaurants, which manages the Los Angeles Dodgers stadium concessions, claimed the decision was made to protect the safety of the spectators.

Colorado Rockies v Los Angeles Dodgers, under the lights at Dodger Stadium

In one of his interviews, Owens said:

“I’m so heartbroken about this. They have time to see it coming. It’s not some bullet that goes straight through. I’m always wanting to make sure that whoever I am throwing to will catch the bag of peanuts.”

Here’s a video featuring Roger Owens pitching peanuts to spectators at the Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium.

"Roger Owens has been pitching peanuts for the Dodgers for 59 years! He's still got it!" - Camp Chronicles

A restriction on chucking peanuts was put into effect in 1970s and 1980s; however, it was eventually overturned.

"Unbelievable how’s this offensive or dangerous in any form??? If that’s the case they shouldn’t play because fans can get seriously hurt with a fowl No where near the damage that a bag of peanuts can cause" - Ashley

Fans were unhappy, calling the ban "unbelievable."

Roger Owens, aka "Roger Owens the Peanut Man," has been selling peanuts for nearly 60 years at the Los Angeles Dodgers Stadium.

Owens has appeared in numerous films and TV shows as well as the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. He isn't going to appeal the ruling. He claims he's always been responsible for his trade. His goal has always been for the fans to be able to take home their purchases.

Owens' first behind-the-back attempt was born from necessity. According to Owens, the practice of peanut-pitching began some 60 years ago when a fan in the back of the crowd requested a bag.

“I went behind the back, it wrapped around all these people in the aisle and came right into his hand and everybody started clapping,” reports quoted Owens as saying. He continued, "And I was kind of surprised. So I went home and started practicing with an invisible man on the couch.”

Owens quit his high school baseball team, where he pitched, to work at the Coliseum and earn money for his family.

“I come from an extremely poor background,” he told a leading daily. These days, some fans prepay for a year’s supply of tossed peanuts.”

Owens has worked in more than 5,000 games and is still not ready to retire. Now, unfortunately, he has been banned.

“I don’t do it for the money anymore. You see a kid catching peanuts, and his face lights up. It feels good when I leave the park, knowing that I made a lot of people happy,” says Owens.

There is hope that Owens will make a comeback as the previous bans were also overturned.