Thursday, July 11, 2013

Tartabull a Failure as a Father

Maybe Tartabull can borrow some money from Costanza.

Danny Tartabull manned right field and the designated hitter spot for the Yankees from 1992 into the 1995 season. Tartabull earned $20.2MM over that four year stretch and over $32MM in his career. Apparently Tartabull doesn't have that money any more or chooses not to spend it. (This doesn't even take into account the money Tartabull earned for eating a donut with a knife and fork on Seinfeld.)

There’s no other way to explain the fact he owes $276K in child support payments. Tartabull never won an MVP award in his decent career, but according to reports he has won the honor of top deadbeat Dad in Los Angeles County. Tartabull is #1 on the most wanted list among the deadbeats, which is a term that really does not do justice for such a heinous act.

Back in 2011, the slugger pleaded no-contest and was charged with failing to make payments for his two sons. He was given probation at the time, but hasn't made a payment and compounded matters by being a no show in court.  LA County has taken action by ordering Tartabull to surrender to authorities and serve a six month jail term.

I have said it often and I will always stand by these words. I don't care what kind of relationship you have with your ex, these are your children. To not be responsible for your children is one of the worst crimes, and it is a crime whether there is a judicial or non-judicial factor to it, you could possibly commit.

If it was a matter of not having the money the courts would certainly work something out with Tartabull, but his failure to appear in court spoke volumes about his lack of character.

4 comments:

  1. pleased instead of pleaded...

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  2. A very well written and important piece. Unfortunately, my father also is a longtime deadbeat who stopped paying child support around the time I turned 13. We filed a lawsuit against him, but he has not worked a salaried job in years so my family has never been able to get justice or closure on this matter. As my father lives in LA County like Tartabull, I wonder if he's on the same list...

    Let us be grateful for the good fathers in our lives, but let us also have the strength and courage to go after the cowards who fail to make good on their parental obligations. Creating a child is no trivial matter.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry you had to experience that Robert. It is a sad state of affairs.

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