Ex-Marlins president flips off and swears at booing fans
Warning: Video contains coarse language
Former Miami Marlins president David Samson was already not the most beloved figure among fans of the franchise, and his most recent actions may not have done him any favors.
Samson made a supposedly unscheduled appearance at a birthday party for ESPN personality Dan Le Batard in Miami and was roundly booed by those in attendance. The former executive then egged on the crowd by citing how much he helped sell the Marlins for:
Here is @DavidPSamson’s entrance at Mas Miami. One of the funniest things I’ve seen in quite some time. pic.twitter.com/19x86I2zYA
— Dan Le Batard & Stugotz Show Reddit (@LeBatard_Reddit) December 18, 2018
However, it all appears to have been a work. Le Batard took to Twitter shortly after the clip went viral and revealed that Samson's entrance was planned as part of the party:
These bleeping fun suckers. Samson was playing the heel wrestling manager. No one would seriously wear that jacket. I was booing Samson before taking the mic from him. You don’t get the show, @miaminewtimes. https://t.co/saPL1cMYD4
— Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) December 18, 2018
Samson was president of the Marlins from 2002 until 2017 as part of the ownership group led by his stepfather, Jeffrey Loria, and held a similar role when Loria owned the Montreal Expos. The Loria-Samson group sold the Marlins to Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter for $1.2 billion in September 2017.