According to a story via Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, a Boston Red Sox supporter who was captured ripping a home run ball from the hands of a woman during Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on Sunday night, was also accused of hurling racial slurs at a Detroit Tigers fan.
While the unidentified man was being kicked out of the ballpark, he was heard telling 25-year-old Tigers fan Angelo Sikoutris, “Bye Trayvon.”
“He was talking all game,” Sikoutris told Yahoo Sports from his seat in Row 1, right above the Tigers’ bullpen, two innings after the man was escorted out by security after throwing back a home run hit by Detroit catcher Alex Avila.
Sikoutris, who attended the game with his father, wore a Prince Fielder jersey, which prompted the man to allegedly call him “Prince Fielder’s crackhead brother.” In addition, Sikoutris said, the man yelled at another African-American Tigers fan walking through the section, saying: “Go back to the ghetto.”
Another fan near the altercation, Dan Cook, confirmed Sikourtis’ account, as did a woman who declined to provide her name.
Security led the man and a woman, who fans said attended the game with him in Row 5 of Section 42, out through the stadium’s Gate C. On the way out, Sikoutris, who fans said had been level-headed dealing with the man, said: “Bye-bye.”
The response from the man: “Bye, Trayvon.”
Here’s footage of the man taking the ball from the woman and tossing it back into the field.
When they find this guy, expect a real shallow apology and the acknowledgement that he made a mistake. That is usually the protocol for this kind of of situation, it’s pathetic and infuriating but what are you going to do.