Why would this happen?

wordygurdy · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:59 am

Pardon me, blanp, if this belongs in Baseball. I didn't intentionally put it here to make you angry!Today's New York *Times* is running a Dan Shaughnessy column from today's Boston *Globe.* But one of the grafs is so significantly different that it has me scratching my head as to why. *Globe* version:During the ninth inning, said Sox general manager Theo Epstein, "I turned to the guy next to me and said, `The apocalypse is upon us. The tying run is coming to the plate in the form of A-Rod, who hasn't had a hit all series. Foulke's facing him. Right field's on fire. Apparently, we're all going to die. This is the end of the world.' "*Times* version: "It was the ninth inning," Sox General Manager Theo Epstein said, "and the guy sitting next to me says that the apocalypse is upon us. A-Rod's up. Then the tying run's on base. Foulke's on the mound. Right field's on fire. It's the end of the world."Why would Shaughnessy--or an editor--change the attribution from Epstein to the guy sitting next to him? Not only that, but the only sentence between the two quotes that is exactly the same is "Right field's on fire"!! Why would an editor at either paper change a quote? Maybe it was Shaughnessy himself who did it?I think the *Globe*'s version is funnier, if only for the inclusion of the line "Apparently, we're all going to die."[ April 20, 2004: Message edited by: wordygurdy ]

Matthew Grieco · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:20 pm

I knew something was up when the New York Times Co. bought an interest in the Boston Red Sox.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:15 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by wordygurdy:

Why would Shaughnessy--or an editor--change the attribution from Epstein to the guy sitting next to him?
<hr></blockquote>Somebody ask Shaughnessy. I can't do everything around here.

SeaRaven · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:53 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:
Somebody ask Shaughnessy. I can't do everything around here.<hr></blockquote>Gotcha covered, #1.Here's Shaughnessy's explanation, by e-mail:i got a call from my desk at around 11:30 p.m. saying other reporters had
different version. it was a little late to call theo, so i told them to go
with their version for the next edition. either i heard him incorrectly the
first time, or he told it again and told it differently the second time
when i wasn't there. dan shaughnessy

wordygurdy · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:55 pm

Wow, that's pretty cool, Sea. Thanks. Do you work at the *Globe*? Or was it a fluke that he happened to respond to your e-mail?I'm also wondering what he means by "their version," though I guess he means "the other reporters' version." And it's not clear which version ran in which paper--did Shaughnessy's run in the online *Globe,* while the other reporters' version ran in the *Times*? Oh, well. His last sentence sums up what happened.[ April 20, 2004: Message edited by: wordygurdy ]

SeaRaven · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:01 pm

He may have assumed I was from the Globe's archrival -- Boston Metro.... Or it could be that good writers always answer good questions from copy editors.---[ April 20, 2004: Message edited by: SeaRaven ]

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:16 pm

Thank you for your effort.If a quotation is called into question and the writer cannot resolve the problem, the quote should be dropped, of course.[ April 20, 2004: Message edited by: blanp ]

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