New York: The fan who hit Boston Red Sox left fielder Alex Verdugo with a baseball thrown from the Yankee Stadium stands has been banned for life from attending major league games. (How is this enforced?)
MLB announces that the fan that threw the baseball at Alex Verdugo’s back has been BANNED for LIFE from all Major League Baseball stadiums. — Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) July 18, 2021
Alex Cora pulled Verdugo and his team off the field in the sixth inning Saturday night after he was struck in the back by a ball thrown from the left-field seats. He did not appear to be hurt. Yankees fan banned
An irate Verdugo shouted back and forth with fans and was restrained by Sox first-base coach Tom Goodwin as the game was held up in a driving rain. The fan was ejected from the ballpark.
The Yankees released this statement on Sunday to the press
“While the Yankees appreciate the spirit and passion of our fans in our various rivalries – especially with the Red Sox – reckless, disorderly and dangerous behavior that puts the safety of players, field staff or fellow fans in jeopardy will not be tolerated,” the Yankees said in a statement Sunday. Yankees fan banned
“There is absolutely no place for it at Yankee Stadium. The safety of everyone at Yankee Stadium, including guests in the stands and players on the field, will always be the top priority for the Yankees organization every time we open our doors.”
Verdugo who is one of the more personable ballplayers in the league, often seen talking with fans during warm-ups and between innings, had tossed the ball to a young Red Sox fan in the left-field seats but it had been picked off by the Yankees fan who threw it onto the field striking Alex as his back was turned. No one has been arrested.
Alex Verdugo is a good dude. Yankees fans, we HAVE to be better at the stadium. Do not be these fans! pic.twitter.com/SnHyGeLenW — Pinstripe Strong (@PinstripeStrong) July 18, 2021
Shoe on the other City
Fathom if you will this had happened in Boston to the Yankees left fielder. The outrage would be through the roof. Columns about the racist Boston crowds would cover newspaper headlines from the Boston Globe to the LA Times (well maybe not the Globe. Hi John Henry, how’s yachting season?)
Former MLB players would be quoted as to anything that happened to them in Fenway or Boston from the turn of the 19th century on. Talking heads on the Radio and TV would spend the week discussing how vile the people of Boston are as a whole. But it happened in the Bronx, so this story will be finished by the end of the day. And that’s the way it should be.
Every city has asshats. Every fanbase has people of low moral fiber. And sadly every town in the world has someone who hates people for their Race, Creed, or Color. Boston has no more or less than any city in this country. I wish the country could see that. Boston earned its reputation don’t get me wrong. But it’s come a long long way since the time of my youth. Sadly the press won’t let that happen.
Featured Image via USA TODAY Sports Photo/Brad Penner Yankees fan banned