Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted April 16, 2003 CHICAGO (AP) -- Kansas City Royals coach Tom Gamboa had no qualms about coming back to the ballpark where he was pummeled last year. A fan caused another stir at a White Sox-Royals game; umpire Laz Diaz was OK after being attacked. Later, the fan left the park in handcuffs with his head bloodied and bandaged. "Lightning doesn't strike twice,'' he said before Tuesday night's game against the Chicago White Sox. It did. And this time it got an umpire. Laz Diaz was attacked by a fan who came out of the stands in an eerie reminder of what happened near the same spot last season at Comiskey Park. "I'm physically OK,'' Diaz said after the Royals won 8-5. "I think you should talk to the other guy and see how he's feeling.'' Immediately after Carlos Lee flied out to end Chicago's eighth inning, a man ran on the field and tried to tackle Diaz, wrapping his arms around the first base umpire's legs. Security and players rushed to the aid of the 40-year-old Diaz, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The fan was quickly taken away and Diaz finished the game. Chicago Police spokeswoman Officer Alice Casanova said the man, whom she did not identify, was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital in Chicago for treatment of minor injuries, but the hospital would not confirm that. Police will determine if he will be charged with a misdemeanor or felony based upon Diaz's injuries, Casanova said. "When I looked over, there was one of the fans from the stands and I just got him off me,'' Diaz said. "I just turned around and got him off me. The good hand-to-hand combat they taught me worked.'' Several Royals players could be seen kicking and stomping the fan while he was pinned down. When the attacker was put into a police car, his head was wrapped with a white bandage, soaked with blood by the right temple. It was the first appearance by the Royals in Chicago since Gamboa, then Kansas City's first base coach, was attacked by a father and son who came out of the stands last Sept. 19. Diaz was standing about 100 feet from where Gamboa was knocked down -- in the ballpark that will get national attention when it hosts the All-Star game on July 15. "We spoke about it in the locker room, this is where Tom Gamboa got attacked. We thought nothing was going to happen, but it was full moon out there,'' Diaz said. Gamboa is now the Royals' bullpen coach. He said he thought security was tighter for his team's return. "Oh yeah, the assistant to major league security was at the game tonight. He told me before the game that they had beefed up the security, but the fans will always outnumber the security force, so there is only so much they can do,'' Gamboa said. "I think people just have too much to drink,'' he added. A night earlier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, two fans ran on the field and unfurled an antiwar banner as security was slow to react. Baseball spoke with local police Tuesday. Minnesota first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said White Sox fans should be penalized. "I think they should take the All-Star Game away from them, honestly. You can't be having first-base coaches and umpires getting attacked. That's ridiculous,'' he said after the Twins beat Detroit 6-4. Kevin Hallinan, baseball's security head, was in San Francisco when he learned of the attack. "I'm on a 6 a.m. flight tomorrow morning to Chicago, and I'm going to be meeting with all concerned,'' he said. "I spoke with Diaz and he did say he thought security got out there in a hurry.'' Tuesday night's game in Chicago had been delayed three times when fans ran onto the field before being tackled by security guards. Police spokesman Wayne Frisbie said all three were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass to land. He identified them as Jeffrey Adams, 25; Albert Skutnik, 25; and Tom Skutnik, 20, all of Chicago. "It's sad that it happened, and happened when it did,'' White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "It's unfortunate that it seems to happen when Kansas City comes to town.'' In a statement, the White Sox said: "The behavior of four people attending tonight's game was reprehensible and will not be tolerated. They will be prosecuted to the fullest extend the law allows. The actions of four idiots in no way reflects Sox fans or the fans of Chicago.'' The 55-year-old Gamboa was injured when he was attacked at Comiskey Park, renamed U.S. Cellular Field before the start of the season. He still has a minor hearing loss in his right ear. The boy, 15 at the time, was sentenced to five years of probation and also ordered to undergo mandatory counseling and perform 30 hours of community service. He was arrested along with his father, William Ligue Jr., who initially pleaded innocent to charges of aggravated battery and mob action. The case is still pending. Credit: ESPN.com AGAIN?!?!?! More fans climbing onto the field and fucking people up? I agree with Mientkiewicz that they should take the All-Star game away from them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest razazteca Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Have you seen the footage? It looked like one of the players got a good punch on the fan, as if the player punched the fan with the ball in hand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Good. They should start hitting these half-wits with the bats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Human Fly Report post Posted April 16, 2003 My favorite was when a couple of Royals came up to the guy and started stomping his leg. People will think twice about doing this again after the whooping that got laid on this guy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted April 16, 2003 If that happens watch this jerk sue the White Sox, Royals, Bud Selig, Comiskey Park, the Umpire, MLB, and the Chicago Police Department. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mad Dog Report post Posted April 16, 2003 They showed the fan after the game and it looked like they beat him up pretty good. It wasn't as bad as last year though. This time the umpire basically had him on the ground by the time the players got there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Yeah, the umpire's a former marine, and they're taught how to defend themselves. Esentially, the White Sox are caught in a copycat situation, and the best way to solve that is to just let the players have at the next guy who attacks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted April 16, 2003 To follow up, it looks like Brandon Berger DID pop the guy in the head pretty good, and Raul Ibanez spiked him. He looked like HE was the victim. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Bah. Let the players beat the shit out of these dumbasses while security and police deliberately dawdle to intervene. Fucking wastes of flesh. Realistically, though, this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. All it would take would be for one of these fuckheads to have a knife or shiv in his hand when he charged someone. Baseball and ballpark officials should make sure something like that doesn't happen before they find themselves reacting after the fact. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Youth N Asia Report post Posted April 16, 2003 ANyone who jumps on the field like that should expect a beating, and I'm glad he got one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lethargic Report post Posted April 16, 2003 I think all players should start packing heat. It'd solve two problems. It'd keep them safe plus their TV ratings would skyrocket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted April 16, 2003 I am just Waiting for some ass clown to charge the field and go after Jason Giambi and Giambi will break out of his Primma Donna Mode and return to his bad ass motherfucker attitude and SLAY the fuck out of the idiot... Also...I expect to a Player ATTACK a Fan whom unintentionally falls over into the field and hits his head and unknowingly walks into the field of play and to get his ass whooped and BASEBALL will be presented like Buffoons beating up Innocent fans... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest alkeiper Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Possible. But I've never seen it happen before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crazy Dan Report post Posted April 16, 2003 That moron got what he deserved. Also, I don't think he realized that the ump he jumped was an ex-marine and looked like he was pretty big. But, man that player who stomped his leg, looked like he got him pretty good. This is just another case of alcohol and stupidity not being a good mix. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted April 16, 2003 These people need to be taught a lesson. If you run onto the field, you're automatically banned for life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mad Dog Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Diaz was on PTI tonight. He was saying he was trying to make the guy eat grass. Hope he was successful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DawnBTVS Report post Posted April 16, 2003 Jeez...when shit like this happens what do the White Sox do? They just beef up security and still let the alcohol cut off remain in the middle of the 8th inning. Morons...I say limit alcohol to the 1st 3 or 4 innings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted April 16, 2003 I'm trying to think what it is in Yankee Stadium. Possibly 6th inning(I don't drink there) I'm waiting for someone to defend this ass and shit on the players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RepoMan Report post Posted April 17, 2003 From the Chicago Tribune board: It's a good day to be a Cubs fan, isn't it?? Lost in the general idiocy of your average Sox fan is this. They can't handle their alcohol and they sure as hell don't know how to fight. -JMO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted April 17, 2003 I remember at Fenway Parkthe cutoff is/was the 7th inning. One guy tried to get me to buy him more beer. I was 14 at the time. That game was entertaining. I had never met the guy, but he was so hammered that he kept buying me popcorn and sodas for some reason. After the game, my mom and I practically ran away from him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JHawk Report post Posted April 17, 2003 I thought Major League Baseball had a cutoff for alcohol of the end of the 7th inning. At any rate, they need to beef security up at least down by the front row to prevent this shit from happening again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted April 17, 2003 Cincinnati is Cut off like the rest after 7th inning Strech... I am all for the changing of that rule and moving it ahead for after 5th Inning...Or if your a Tigers Fan...After the other team scores the 10th run... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted April 17, 2003 Or if your a Tigers Fan...After the other team scores the 10th run... That's when they stop selling knives with the chicken fingers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted April 17, 2003 I am all for the changing of that rule and moving it ahead for after 5th Inning... Agreed. There's no reason to be trashed for the whole game. Considering most fans leave after the 7th or 8th inning, anyway, it's also less chance of them being liquored up for the drive home. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Grand Slam Report post Posted April 17, 2003 As far as them suing if they get hurt running onto the field, there is a statement during the game that the ballpark, the teams and MLB assume no liability or responsibility if you interfere in the game. Basically, its just like a wrestling show. Jump the wall, cross the line and expect to get the crap kicked out of you... and unless they go way, way too far (homicide) don't expect to get any money out of it. As far as this schmuck... I think he gives all White Sox fans a bad name. A couple more incidents like this around the league, and people are going to start regarding baseball fans way down there with wrestling fans in the "sport fan hierarchy". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest swan Report post Posted April 17, 2003 From the Chicago Tribune board: It's a good day to be a Cubs fan, isn't it?? Lost in the general idiocy of your average Sox fan is this. They can't handle their alcohol and they sure as hell don't know how to fight. -JMO Too bad since the incident happened it's been revealed that the fan was actually a cubs fan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted April 18, 2003 Chi Town is SO lame... Didn't this Yokel say he was trying to one-up the last one? I'm waiting for a gang Ningas to have one two many and them to invade the field... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted April 18, 2003 A gang of ninjas wouldn't be that bad, it'd be hilarious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
