Loyal Tigers fan and outspoken Brandon Inge critic Lesley “Les” Kowalski is running an ad in the classifieds looking for fans who have sat in section 216 of Comerica Park from 2004 to 2011 to validate his claim that he was the first to publicly denounce the once popular player.
“Ever since there were rumors we’d sign Pudge [Rodrigeuz] and pretty boy Inge said he thought he was as good behind the plate as Pudge, I knew this guy was full of shit,” said Kowalski. “He sucked and moved to centerfield that year but I still got on his case, repeatedly asking him what he was doing in center if he’s such a good catcher. Now people are starting to see what I’ve known since ’04. I hate to use the word ‘hero’ but I was here, in row 13 for nine innings every game, heroically warning anyone who would listen that this guy wasn’t what he seemed. I deserve to be acknowledged and to be able to publicly savor this ‘I told you so’ moment now that we’re almost rid of the bum.”
Christopher Gilles, another section 216 season ticket holder who has seats two rows in front of Kowalski validated Kowalski’s story.
“It’s true.” he told our reporter adding, “He was the first I know of to be very vocal. Every at bat. He also liked to remind Manny Ramirez that he looks like the Predator Monster and when the Rangers are in town he jokingly teases the beer guys, every game, that they moved last call up an inning early because Josh Hamilton ‘can’t handle his booze.’ It was funny at first but by mid-April we were all pretty sick of it.”
Kowalski currently has ads running in the Other and Missing Connections sections of the Free Press’s classifieds. The latter ad specifically targets a girl from 2009 in a pink Inge jersey that Kowalski feels was charmed by his persistent heckling.
