Daily Kos

Oy. Another altercation between a fan and an athlete

by ChurchofBruce

Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:14:56 PM PDT

However, in this case, it was clearly the fault of the so-called 'fan'. And I say that even though the jerk was a 'fan' of the Red Sox, and the athlete in question was a New York Yankee.

This just happened, in the eighth inning of the game between the Sox and the Yanks tonight. The game had been tied 5-5 until this inning. Renteria hit a double to drive in Damon for a 6-5 lead, then someone else walked, which brought up Jason Varitek.

Varitek clubbed one down the right field line. For those of you not familiar with Fewnay Park, the wall from the foul pole to straight-away right is a long curve. Balls can get caught in that curve and just hug the wall for a while. That's what happened to Varitek's hit.

More on the flip.

The ball hugged the wall all the way around that curve. People were reaching over, making a halfhearted attempt to snare the ball--the wall's fairly high there, you're not going to get a ball unless it bounces up a foot or two--and though people shouldn't be interfering with a ball in play we all know it happens.

What shouldn't happen was what did when Gary Sheffield, the Yankees right fielder, came into the picture. He came at the ball from the other direction, bending over and moving forward along the wall to scoop up the ball. Just as Sheffield reached the ball, some idiot reached down and smacked him in the face. It doesn't look like it was even an attempt to get at the ball. The ball was on the ground. Even bent over, Sheffield's face was nowhere near the ground. It looked like a gratuitous slap.

Sheffield, once he fielded the ball and straightened up, gave the 'fan' a hard shove. He then turned and threw the ball to the infield. Then he turned back to the 'fan' and started jawing at him, but security quickly showed up and there wasn't anything else.

They ejected the idiot, nothing was done to Sheffield. They let the play stand--a triple for Varitek, though there might have been a case to send him back to second. Sox are leading, 8-5, in the ninth now, but the Yanks have two men on. It's been a hell of a game so far. And it was marred by some idiot.

I hope nobody tries to pin this on Sheffield or suspend him or anything. Wasn't his fault. Maybe he shouldn't have shoved the idiot, but he did get slapped in the face--I can't blame him.

Why do people who go to sporting events turn into such idiots?

 

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  •  just imagine how bad it would be (none / 0)

    if they served beer at these things....

    by Hprof on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:12:45 PM PDT

  •  this is bullshit (none / 0)

    i'm watching the game and it's bullshit.  sheffield should be ejected.

    the fan was, like 30 other fans, waving his arms near the path of the ball as you described. it was a unfortunate confluence of events and the arm was near sheffield's face.

    sheffield responded by attacking the fan.  you don't do that.  yeah, you're supposed to keep your hands out of the field of play.  so eject all 30 fans who lowered their arms over the wall.  eject every fan that ever does it.  it happens with every play like that.

    but going after a fan for bumping into you (and it isn't even clear that the fan contacted sheffield - if he did, sheffield's hat should have fallen off or been knocked askew) is just plain wrong.

    by corndog on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:14:59 PM PDT

    •  eh (none / 0)

      I watched the replay.  Several folks pulled their hands away as Sheffield came to the wall--only this bonehead was still flailing away in the field of play.

      Sheffield shouldn't have touched the guy, but I don't see it as a great crime on his part.

      by Hprof on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:26:06 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  the guy got ARRESTED (none / 0)

        sheffield got to go take his swings at bat the next inning.  the poor lady who was standing there and whose beer was spilled when sheffield knocked her down got ejected for "throwing beer."

        it was total incidental, unexpected contact - if there was contact.  if sheffield was pissed, he should have gone to the umpire. instead, in the middle of the play while holding the ball he dove into the stands and took a swing at the guy.  then he came back and did the fake out punch thing after he'd thrown the ball.  it's unbelievable that he wasn't ejected.

        and the guy who was attacked got arrested.  it's too bad he had the reflexes to dodge sheffield's punch so he can't sue the asshole.

        this is the same bullshit that happened when the heckler in oakland got attacked with a chair and they blamed him, not the guy who threw the chair.  

        by corndog on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:31:52 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  Oh come on (none / 0)

      Shef was bending over to pick up the ball and the guy hit him in the face.  Whether it was intentional or not, only the fan knows.  But Shef has to defend himself - he's concentrating on the game and the fans have to make sure they don't interfere with the players.  

      Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

      by johnny rotten on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:35:04 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  what??? (none / 0)

        defend himself?

        what are you fucking talking about???  the fan wasn't attacking him!  there was nothing to defend.  if anything happened - and to me it's unclear that there was even any contact - it was totally incidental.  do you attack everyone who bumps into you on the street?

        by corndog on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:41:04 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Bad analysis (none / 0)

          Shef is playing the game and the fan entered the field of play and hit him.  Shef is concentrating on the game, he can't be looking out for fans.  When he gets hit in the face, he was assaulted and is entitled to defend himself.  

          You keep saying it was incidental, but you are just assuming that it was.  We don't know whether it was intentional or not, and in Shef's circumstances it is reasonable to believe that he is being attacked when he gets hit in the face by a fan.  

          Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

          by johnny rotten on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:47:30 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  i guess (none / 0)

            i guess you haven't seen the replays or weren't watching the game.  the guy was leaning over the rail swiping his hand upwards as the ball ran along the rail like the ten guys in front of him and the ten guys behind him.

            sheffield fielded th ball right there as the guy's hand was near sheffield's face.  his head did not move and his hat wasn't knocked off or even knocked askew.  IF there was contact it was a brush on the cheek or ear.  and it was a motion by the fan that began before sheffield's face was within reach.

            and, under the circumstances, his reaction was unquestionably wrong.  first, that's just not the society we operate in.  you don't get to attack people that touch you in a non violent manner.  second, he's a professional athelete and he should act like a professional.  i have to believe that after the chair incident last year in oakland that every MLB player has gotten training on fan violence.  third, he knows that the stadium is FULL of security and that he is in absolutely no danger.  fourth, the fact that after he threw the ball to the infield (remember, he attacked while he still had the ball and runners were presently scoring) he went BACK and did a fake lunge at he guy and started yelling at him.  that says to me that he was pissed, not in fear of attack.  you don't get to attacke people because they piss you off.

            by corndog on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:57:36 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            •  Uh (none / 0)

              I watched multiple replays.  The guy hit him in the face.  All the other fans got out of the way.  Under the circumstances, Shef's reaction was reasonable.  He pushed the guy out of the way who was intruding into the field and assaulted him.  

              What, you can't defend yourself AND be pissed off?  

              Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

              by johnny rotten on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 08:05:54 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

            •  what replay are you watching? (none / 0)

              there were just a couple people leaning over the stands anywhere near where sheffield actually grabbed it.  None of them were making a serious motion at the ball.  The only ones i saw were banging the padding in excitement.  That one fan was the only one whose hand was moving in an upward motion.

              Given that Sheffield says that he thought his lip was busted, I'd say his reaction was pretty restrained.  

              by MattR on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 08:08:51 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              •  we go to tivo and tivo says... (none / 0)

                inconclusive.  definitely a glancing blow.  if the guy was going for the ball he sure didn't get to close.  I mean, he didn't even bend over for it, thus, looks like he swiped with the intent to distract.  tivo rules in favor of Sheff... tentatively.

                by Abbott on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 08:12:35 PM PDT

                [ Parent ]

        •  watch his hat (none / 0)

          if you are unsure if there was contact.  The hat moves as the fan's hand goes by Sheffield's face.  I have no idea if the fan was trying to slap at Sheffield or hit his glove or the ball or what, but he was reaching into the field of play and made contact with Sheff.  That is a big no-no.  The ushers come and remind you before the game not to interfere.  

          by MattR on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:51:45 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  according to rush (none / 0)

    This will be because blue cities are like jungles and blue city citizens behave like savages. That asshole, Rush, actually said that after the Pistons-Pacers brawl. Compared Detroit to Fallujah.
    Can hardly wait to see what the wingnut pundits have to say about this one.

    See what's cooking at Culture Kitchen

    by lorraine on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:15:16 PM PDT

  •  maybe fan was not such a jerk (none / 0)

    The way I saw it was that the guy was leaning over the rail to see the ball as it rolled around the corner, identified the ball, and started to raise his right hand in a typical "fist making" gesture of joy, when Sheffield ran his face into the guys hand.  I am not trying to excuse the fact the guy should not have been leaning over the fence.  But I do think you have to be careful in trying to read someone's mind and pre-determining intent.

    Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead

    by blueneck on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:17:31 PM PDT

  •  His PENALTY (none / 0)

    should be that he has to come back to the braves :)

    miss ya gary!

    Oh, the hills are groaning with excess, like a table ceaselessly being set.

    by faithfull on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:27:20 PM PDT

    •  screw that (none / 0)

      send him back to Milwaukee.

      more on topic:
      drunk fans are idiots - what else is new.  seemed pretty take right up until sheff goes berzerk.  maybe next time he should wait till after the play to get the guy tossed.  he's an idiot too.

      notice A-Rod was the first guy out there to get the fan tossed.  way to go Slappy.  dueche.  Jeter was right there too, apparantly crowd control is an "intangible".

      Doug Flutie is awesome.

      I bet John Kruk has something inane to add.  idiot.

      by Abbott on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:33:50 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Oh man... (none / 0)

    I didn't know Sheffield was a Yankee now. Talk about a train-wreck waiting to happen...

    This business will get out of control...

    by Omar on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 07:37:44 PM PDT

  •  Lets keep it in perspective (none / 0)

    That is childs play compared to what happens during soccer matches

    by Anthony W on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 08:22:59 PM PDT

  •  Flares?! (none / 0)

    Someone threw flares on the field?! Man, those soccer guys are wild.

    by Anthony W on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 08:49:40 PM PDT

  •  Sheffield never should have pulled a pistol (none / 0)

    Granted, the bonehead smacked him in the face at the wall, but brandishing a pistol and shouting, "You can't run faster than 315 feet per second," was not right, either.

    And why was Sheffield such a bad shot?  He should have popped that loser...

    by Bob Johnson on Thu Apr 14, 2005 at 11:33:25 PM PDT

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