• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

9/yo girl and mom Write complaint to Chuck-E-Cheese and MLB over Sexist Arcade Game. Softball.

A 9-year-old softball player in suburban Chicago has successfully muted a sexist arcade game after calling out Chuck E. Cheese, the game manufacturers and Major League Baseball.
Marie Marcum was attending a school fundraiser at Chuck E. Cheese when she stepped up to an MLB-licensed throwing game to show off her throwing skills. But after missing one of the targets the game taunted her by saying, “Hey, there’s always softball!”

Marcum, who’s been playing softball since she was four, did not take the comment lightly.
“I was really mad,” she told ESPN. (?????)“It made me feel like they think softball is a bad sport and girls shouldn’t play softball(????). I just started throwing balls at the game as hard as I could. I thought it was rude.”
Marcum’s mother, Lisa, who teaches high school, heard her daughter’s frustrations and suggested she write a letter to Innovative Concepts in Entertainment (ICE), the game’s manufacturer.
“Here we are at Chuck E. Cheese, a place with so many impressionable little kids and we’re saying you throw like a girl or hit like a girl or whatever,” said Lisa. “I thought we had moved past that.”
Though MLB said it hadn’t yet received the letter, it released a statement on Wednesday: “MLB does not support the message conveyed in the game and we are reaching out to the company to share our concerns about it.”
The league added how much it appreciated Marcum’s passion for softball and that growing its youth softball program is as much a priority as youth baseball.
Also on Wednesday, the president of ICE, Joe Coppola, said the company manufactured the game in 2009 and 2010 through a licensing agreement with the MLB. He added that this was the first complaint the company has received.
“I completely understand where she is coming from,” Coppola said. “I get it. There is probably a greater sensitivity today than there was 10 or 15 years ago. It’s something we all need to pay attention to.”
Coppola said it would be easy to remove the audio clip from the game. In the meantime, Chuck E. Cheese has already muted the game in all its arcades.
“I’m just so proud of her,” Lisa said. “The one thing I hope she remembers from this is if there is something she feels strongly about in the future, she will remember that people want to hear her. If nothing else, this will encourage her to speak up.”

So the first thing I would like to address is that the first quote with the question marks insn't a typo because other reports have used the same interview, the girl actually says that she thinks they think Softball is a bad sport, and girls shouldn't play softball, which doesn't make the slightest sense at all. Especially since the Audio never used the word girl so that's a big leap.

Secondly, the fact the mother didn't try to sue the game manufacturer for the name ICE is actually more surprising than the topic of this article, because the mom clearly sounds like the type of person who would do that.

Thirdly, the whole point of games "taunting" you now, 20 years ago, or 40 years ago, was to motivate you to keep trying, or earlier, to motivate you and to get you to put more quarters in the machine.

This belief that "throw like a girl" is somehow terrible is already an issue, but the thing is the GAME NEVER SAID THAT, the game only said "how about softball" after she missed. She got offended because she plays softball, because she's a little girl and not a professional baseball player. The fact the Mom helped the girl SPIN that into "I though we moved past throw like a girl" when the machine NEVER said the word "girl" at all in any of the audio is just baffling.

Basically it's gotten to the point where people can just make shit up, the media, who's supposed to be covering news, propping it up to be viral, and then the companies scrambling for an apology over something that doesn't mean anything. This isn't even a story, no one else even filed a complaint to the company, it was their first complaint!

Can't even imagine this girl when she's 15-16. Or whether Chuck-E-Cheese will still be around since taunts are in like 45% of their arcade games, including the actual sit-down arcades. What's next? When she loses a racing game and it says "You're too slow" does that mean sexist men think she's two slow because girls can't drive NASCAR?????

I mean that's the same leap they just used here so hey.
 
Is this really gaming related discussion?

I mean, it’s silly, for sure. I would have rather an adult explained the nature of the joke and that it’s not a big deal, but oh well?

Could have been a teachable moment for coping skills and understanding harmless quips.
 
Last edited:

TeamGhobad

Banned
there's a lot i want to say but ill hold my tongue, i dont want to get banned here. i mean saying that i would want to dropkick a 9yo and her mom in the fucking mouth is probably not the right thing to say..

edit: and softball is for fucking pussies
 
Last edited:

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
I think this is one of the few areas where they probably could change it and I don't care. This is a game for kids. Kids do play softball. The game is definitely mocking softball as weaker than baseball because it's girls.

It's a stupid joke, and people are too sensitive. But considering it's a game in a public place for kids, I don't care if they change it. I say this as someone whose girlfriend was a catcher in softball, and took it extremely seriously and has injured knees from it. I think most softball players take it very seriously. I was also workout partners with a college softball pitcher, and she was extremely hardcore in the gym.
 
Last edited:

cryptoadam

Banned
So if a boy did the same thing I assume the machine would say the same pre programed words? Unless a video game at Chuck E Cheese is so advanced it can now detect the gender of whoever is playing it?

And whats with this BS that softball is only for girls. I know plenty of guys who play in softball leagues in the summer. Generally its mixed but its not an all girls sport.

Softball is not for girls, its for people who want an easier version of baseball. I mean the name is called SOFT ball, and its not because the ball is soft and mushy.
 

Trogdor1123

Member
Is this really gaming related discussion?

I mean, it’s silly, for sure. I would have rather an adult explained the nature of the joke and that it’s not a big deal, but oh well?

Could have been a teachable moment for coping skills and understanding harmless quips.
Agreed, not gaming related
 

TLZ

Banned
I don't understand the extra sensitivity. And shouldn't boys be more offended by this, since it basically tells them you're a pussy? Lol.

Different times I guess. I rather society don't hurt each other and are nicer to each other, but also having no thick skin whatsoever and throwing tantrums at every occasion isn't healthy.
 
Last edited:
There's nothing sexist about it whatsoever, softball is something people generally do for fun, for minor league exhibition and friendly competition with local self forming teams, and it's a male dominated sporting activity.

This is fake news, sounds like this child is being coached or force fed nonsense at home.
 
Last edited:

#Phonepunk#

Banned
“I was really mad,” she told ESPN. (?????)“It made me feel like they think softball is a bad sport and girls shouldn’t play softball(????).I just started throwing balls at the game as hard as I could. I thought it was rude.”

getting violently mad at a video game? sounds like toxic masculinity to me.

“I’m just so proud of her,” Lisa said

yes, she got violently mad at a video game then demanded the manufacturer change things to satisfy her desires. totally unlike those toxic gamers everyone hates. you should be proud. /s
 
Last edited:

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
There's nothing sexist about it whatsoever, softball is something people generally do for fun, for minor league exhibition and friendly competition with local self forming teams, and it's a male dominated sporting activity.

This is fake news.
Girls only play softball in highschool and college. They don't have female baseball teams at that level.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Its just sad that noone dares stand up and simply just say, "no" to this arrant stupidity.

Misses target so game taunts player by suggesting they try a very similar game using a BIGGER BALL. Where's the sexism in that?
 
Last edited:
tenor.gif
 

Smoke6

Member
When are we gonna start tacking the real issues like poverty and our vets being treated the way they have been for years? Oh and another one how about thst flint water situation you know!

This world just doesn’t seem lovable/liveable at all anymore!
 
Sexism? People are way too sensitive now. Just don’t do business with them if you do not like something about the company because of a game they probably didn’t know said that quote.
 
Last edited:

LMJ

Member
Pushing the political B.S aside...(and it is that, screw those two entitled lasses)

When did a good natured ribbing become such a bad thing, have we all become so soft today that a voice mocking us to do better (been in games forever) is a crime?

I weep for this upcoming generation, as they will likely have no spine...a shame rolling over and crying is becoming the norm lol

I blame participation trophies :messenger_squinting_tongue:
 

Shin

Banned
A person/young girl standing up for something she's passionate about, nothing news worthy about this really.
 
So this is not sexist, but indeed derogatory to softball players (I mean that seriously)? Well then someone with balls should have argued and either win or lose the argument if the other side had a better one (mentioned above): things have gone haywire in the process of arguing and changing things. But of course the vocal minorities are the ones who are going to pay this the most so...sow your own crap, I have no sympathy for you.
 

Shakka43

Member
In a near future kids won't grow wanting to become a singer, a movie star, a Batman or a Spider-Man. No, they'll grow wanting to become a victim. The crave for current society to feel like they have been wronged by whatever dumb shit thing there is out there is unbelievably insane.
 

joe_zazen

Member
I have this idea of how the world is on my head and when the world doesn’t match up to it I get angry on the internet.
 

joe_zazen

Member
Pushing the political B.S aside...(and it is that, screw those two entitled lasses)

When did a good natured ribbing become such a bad thing, have we all become so soft today that a voice mocking us to do better (been in games forever) is a crime?

I weep for this upcoming generation, as they will likely have no spine...a shame rolling over and crying is becoming the norm lol

I blame participation trophies :messenger_squinting_tongue:

Chuck E Cheese should be a safe space for everyone.. The only people that should be afraid are those who hate the smell of urine and diapers.
 
Last edited:

Dthomp

Member
In a near future kids won't grow wanting to become a singer, a movie star, a Batman or a Spider-Man. No, they'll grow wanting to become a victim. The crave for current society to feel like they have been wronged by whatever dumb shit thing there is out there is unbelievably insane.

You mean a Bat-Person, remember in crazy town you aren't allowed to assume a big dude is a dude anymore....
 
And whats with this BS that softball is only for girls. I know plenty of guys who play in softball leagues in the summer. Generally its mixed but its not an all girls sport.

.

Competitive/scholastic youth/collegiate/sanctioned softball is typically female only as far as I know, not sure if there are exceptions to the rule out there

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a good beer league game. I just don’t think I’ve ever seen a boy primed to be a softball player throughout his school years

Edit:

I guess I have a limited American perspective of this, as a New Zealand men’s softball team exists, apparently? I stick by my point though, that most commonly this is how it works
 
Last edited:
So if a boy did the same thing I assume the machine would say the same pre programed words? Unless a video game at Chuck E Cheese is so advanced it can now detect the gender of whoever is playing it?

And whats with this BS that softball is only for girls. I know plenty of guys who play in softball leagues in the summer. Generally its mixed but its not an all girls sport.

Softball is not for girls, its for people who want an easier version of baseball. I mean the name is called SOFT ball, and its not because the ball is soft and mushy.
yup, mom and daughter are the sexist ones thinking softball is only for girls.
 
Edit:

I guess I have a limited American perspective of this, as a New Zealand men’s softball team exists, apparently? I stick by my point though, that most commonly this is how it works

Men’s sodtball is nowhere near as prominent as baseball

————————————————

Also, I don’t think I’ve ever seen men competing in actual softball (fast pitch, windmill technique, on a softball field).

This story presents an issue with parenting and influence, but I don’t think gender of the “victim” (using that term lightly) is the issue. The issue is people are too damn sensitive, and that’s coming from me, a sensitive snowflake myself

I could see a boy being offended by being told the same joke, just or a slightly different reason. I guess it’s really the same reason, actually.

I’m not defending the family, btw. This should have been handled differently, it shouldn’t have been an issue to begin with. I don’t see a gender specific issue tho.

I can hear an overzealous parent saying “you tellin my boy he’s not good enough for baseball! I’m suing!”

The issue is the people, not softball vs baseball, male vs female; at least not necessarily

A good baseball player would probably smash every softball record in softball history if allowed to play. At least batting, wise.

Parity between gender segregated sports varies.

Basketball, soccer, and volleyball are set up the same, as far as I know. There are some differences in track (different weights for throws, shorter hurdle sprints at most levels). Softball has always been considers the girls version of baseball from a practical perspective, at least for college atheltics and under. I don’t think softball is an Olympic sport anymore
 
Last edited:

Sentenza

Member
Reminds me of when someone got mad at Portal 2 for that joke where GladOS was trying to make Chell feel bad for being (allegedly) adopted.
Missing completely how the joke wasn't that adopted kids are trash, but that GladOS was being childish and petty in her attempt to undermine Chell's confidence.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
1 complaint in about 10 years. I'd say that is as perfect of a record you can get in this day and age.

Not surprisingly, the corporation goes apeshit over 1 complaint when the game has been played probably millions of times in 10 years with no issues.
 

Domisto

Member
That's a rowdy bunch
Bunch of little girls, I hear.

1bKWYL.png


If they'd made it about defending the honour of softball I'd have had an ounce of sympathy for them, But they had to bring in a fallacious sexist angle.

Give these guys the same taunt and they'd laugh it off or whip you at the game for a round of drinks.

1bKBkx.jpg
 
Last edited:

Silent Duck

Member
Shao Kahn told me I suck.
Reminds me of the time when that dog in Duck Hunt shamed me by laughing when I missed some ducks. That dog is clearly suggesting that I shoot like a girl! I thought we were past that in these morally superior times. I would sue Nintendo for giving me PTSD, but I’m too afraid to leave the house without my support badger.:messenger_grimmacing_
 

Solomeena

Banned
Ugh, fuck everyone who can't take a fucking ribbing or an innocent joke. This world can go fuck itself sometimes.
 

G-Bus

Banned
Man .. have you seen some of those underhand softball pitches? Shits fucking crazy.
 
Last edited:

nkarafo

Member
Lol, she acts as if the game is an AI that's aware of who is playing.

You must be really braindead if you don't realize that the same "taunts" would play whoever the player is.
 
Top Bottom