Zachary Sharples of Palmetto, Fla., celebrated the Rays' American League Divisional Series win over the Chicago White Sox by getting himself a "Rayhawk" -- a mohawk haircut -- mirroring the hairdos being sported by the AL East champs and their fans.
But when he took his new 'do to school, the seventh-grader was told the haircut violated the district dress code, which forbids hair styles that are a distraction. He was sent to in-school suspension.
Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes saw Zachary's story on the local news and decided to pay the boy back for his trouble. According to MLB.com, Gomes, after learning Zachary and his dad would be at Game 2 of the ALCS, provided two field passes for pregame batting practice and presented Zachary with a bat autographed by members of the Rays.
"The kid got punished for being a Rays fan," Gomes said, according to MLB.com. "What's wrong with that?"
And once Sharples walked out onto the playing surface at Tropicana Field, members of the team stopped by to greet him.
The experience was a memorable one for the lifelong Rays fan.
"I've been going to Rays games since I was 2 years old," Sharples said, according to MLB.com. "I went to the second baseball game [at Tropicana Field] ever."
So will he be shaving his Rayhawk any time soon?
"Not until they win the World Series," he said, according to the report.
The Rays lead the Red Sox 2-1 in the best-of-seven ALCS. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Boston.
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I will never understand the American school system, what in the world is a mohawk or "Rayhawk" doing to cause disruption in a class room and warrant a suspension. So the kids will look at the hair for 10 seconds and then its back to your regular programing. Please stop with all this nonsense. Let the kid be a fan, eight months ago the Rays could not pay people to be fans and come to the stadium. Now they are in the playoffs and are two wins away from the World Series and are selling out Tropicana Field. So what do the citizens of Florida do? suspend a kid for being a true fan. Get real...let kids be kids.
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