With the Los Angeles Dodgers expected to return home for the first time this season since their season opening series against the rival San Francisco Giants, the team will not only be greeted by the shade of Dodger blue they're used to seeing, but also LAPD blue. This of coarse coming after the beating of a Giants fan in the Chavez Ravine parking lot after both teams renewed their rivalries for the first time in 2011 on March 31. Though the series between these two long-lived rivals almost guarantees a hostile environment which often translates to many fights amongst fans in the stands, never have we seen something quite like this.
Bryan Stow, a Santa Cruz native and paramedic who is usually helping save lives, is now fighting for his own. Following a 2-1 loss to L.A., Stow, wearing a Giants jersey, began walking back to his vehicle, when suddenly he was ambushed by two Dodger fans who jumped from behind a parked car and began punching and kicking him profusely before fleeing the scene. Suffering from a severe skull fracture and bruising to the brain's frontal lobe, the father of three now lies in a coma while his family anxiously awaits his wake. Chief officials from both cities along with both organizations have joined forces in hopes of capturing the two suspects still at large. A $150,000 reward has been offered to anyone who knows any further information on the whereabouts of either suspect as seen here:
With both teams meeting again on Monday, this time in San Francisco, the one thing on everybody's mind was if Giants fans would retaliate. Prior to throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, players and coaches from both teams met on the baseball diamond and were seen shaking hands with one another before Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt and Jamey Carroll of the Dodgers stood in front of a podium to address the issue and remind fans that there's no room in the game for hatred and violence. "We ask that you respect our rivalry and that you respect each other as fans." said Affeldt. Trying to fight off tears, the choked up left-hander added, "When the last out is made, the rivalry ends on the field."
The game was dedicated to Stow, raising over $70,000 in proceeds to help his family pay for medical bills. Another $60,000 was raised by the Dodgers organization who also did their part by holding a drive through fund raiser in the Dodger Stadium parking lot where the incident took place. Some of the Giants players also contributed, including fan favorite and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum who donated $25,000 of his own to the Stow family. In efforts to prevent another incident like this happening, undercover cops and off-duty policeman will attend Thursday's Dodgers-Cardinals game dressed in opposing teams attire to act as decoys in hopes of cracking down on other unruly fans.
It's obvious the history between not only these two teams is rich in violence but also both cities, so I find it rather sad it's taken something like this for officials to finally step in and beef up security. After all, this isn't the first act of thuggery seen in the infamous Dodger Stadium parking lot. Such antics between fans of the two teams have gone as far as a shooting, which took place in 2003, when a Giants fan shot and killed a Dodger fan after a similar altercation. And more recently in 2009 when the Dodgers hosted the Giants to open the season, a man was hospitalized after being stabbed multiple times following an argument.
What makes this tragedy so frightening to me, is that it could have happened to anyone. For years now, my father and I have made a number of trips to Giants-Dodger games in L.A., and we've been fortunate enough to leave the stadium unharmed, with no battle wounds to show for. Based off my own experience, there's no other feeling as discomforting as the one that follows after leaving the hostile environment of Dodger Stadium. However, that won't stop me from entering the Ravine or any other opposing team's stadium to support my team. A day at the yard should be a fan-friendly, family oriented environment. Not a place to go to seek violence with other fans or rival gang members, which has happened all too often at the Ravine.
Dodgers second baseman Jamey Carroll said it best on Monday when standing in front of a sold out crowd at AT&T Park, "This is America's national past time and let's keep it at that."
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