Posted on 04/18/2005 4:07:22 PM PDT by kingattax
BOSTON (AP) - The spectator who interfered with New York Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield had his season tickets for 2005 revoked Monday by the Boston Red Sox.
A fan who spilled beer on Sheffield was prohibited from buying tickets for the rest of the season.
"We applaud the Red Sox for decisively dealing with this matter," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement through spokesman Howard Rubenstein.
Boston acted after a four-day investigation following the play last Thursday night at Fenway Park in which Sheffield was chasing a ball along the low right-field wall that Jason Varitek hit for a triple.
The season ticket holder, Chris House, reached over the 3-foot high fence, and Sheffield said he was struck in the face. Sheffield picked up the ball, pushed House, then threw the ball to the infield. Sheffield turned toward House but did not make contact with him again as a security guard jumped over the wall and stood between House and Sheffield.
Major league baseball also is investigating. The name of the other spectator has not been released.
Boston said House would receive full reimbursement when he returns his 2005 tickets. The club said it will consider reinstating his tickets after this season.
The Red Sox cited the season ticket agreement, which states that "interfering with the play of the game in any way will not be tolerated and will be grounds for ejection from the premises, legal prosecution, recission of tickets and cancellation of subscription privileges."
Sheffield's agent, Rufus Williams, and the player planned to meet Tuesday with Bob Watson, vice president in charge of discipline in the commissioner's office. Williams called Boston's actions "a good thing."
"I think that there should certainly be an opportunity for players do their jobs without being interfered with," Williams said. "That sends a message to fans that that's what the expectation is."
You're entitled to your opinion, but the tape tells it all. Both fans were jerks. Perhaps you saw a different version of the tape.
Front row season tickets take a long time to get. They've probably been in the family for a generation. The guy should go to the back of the line as an object lesson for the rest of the "fans".
Yep, very boneheaded.
Same as the A-Rod girlie slap play during ALCS MEGACHOKE. If he doesn't break the rules, Jeter is sitting on second base in scoring position, instead the umps called him back to first.
Just playing devil's advocate here. Perhaps sheff thought he needed to push the fan back so the *sshole didn't interfere with his throw too.
I didn't watch it over and over. My first reaction was it was a deliberate swipe, in which case I agree, he ought to be ass whupped, but good. But if he wasn't paying attention and was just flailing around for God-knows why, then his year of probation from Fenway is fine by me. A fan ought to be paying enough attention to stay out of the way of a play.
I'm a bit of a RedSox fan too.
Baseball should be interactive.
I didn't really see much in the way of interference. In fact it's not clear that the fan actually touched Sheffield.
It's amazing how the yanqui are apalled by fan interference. I seem to remember during the playoffs a few years ago a kid snagging an in play fly ball with a fishing net from the right field seats at Yanqui stadium.
Didn't Big Stein reward the kids family with free tickets?
lol..that would be interesting
I'm a bit of a RedSox fan too.
Somehow, I thought that might be the case.
I think the opposite: I think fans should be able to interfere with the game.
Think they should have steel, folding chairs at their disposal as well?
Absolutely.
And don't come cryin' to me when Barry Bonds gets floored by a Triple Suplex.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Hey, Man, long time no see. Got the goatee thing goin' you ole retiree?
Sure the fans were jerks. That has nothing to do with my point, which is that while the ball was in play, and that big load Ortiz was on his way to scoring from first, Sheffield took time to engage the fan BEFORE throwing the ball in. Lame move.
All I can say to that is the jerk of a fan had no business interfering with Sheffield. I'm not sure enough time elapsed with the shove to advance any runners. Besides, Boston needs a handicap most times they play the Yankees.
Sorry, but Barry could get floored with anything and it wouldn't make any difference to me one way or the other.
Yes it would.
They should just remove all the fans, period. Now that we have the games on TV, who needs to actually go to the games? We can just watch at home without having to pay $6 for watered down beer and rubbery hot dogs? Then the players can play to their heart's content without the fear of being interfered with.
ping
It seems that the average fan who pays the bills is just an adjunct that must be tolerated for his , in their opinion, minor role in the, getting boring, game of baseball.
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