Assault at Orioles game sends man to intensive care

[lovetoaster]

McClouth had a beer thrown at him the other game... I didn't see him going into to the stands throwing punches.

Because that's the exact same situation.

[LayzieDES]

McClouth had a beer thrown at him the other game... I didn't see him going into to the stands throwing punches.

McLouth isn't exactly Superman who can fly 30 feet into the air to get to the stands or see who threw it with the eyes in the back of his head.

[Nigel Tufnel]

They were both wrong.

The drunken idiots were nothing but bullies and they deserve to be in jail.

The "victim" should have sought out an usher or police. Trust me, I go to enough games to know that the police officers are very easy to find.

The fact that someone is fighting for their life is awful, but there were SO many opportunities for this whole ordeal to have been squashed, its sickening!

Also, keep in mind that there were dozens of other people sitting nearby who saw the whole thing developing over 7 innings and chose not to do anything. Lots of lost opportunities.

[El Gordo]

Remember that, out of all the accounts we've heard, only one of them said anything about Fortese punching anyone, and that was in the comments section of some random article, and for all we know was written by a friend/relative of Bell or Fleischman. Everyone seems to agree that Fortese pulled himself up on the railing, but all the other accounts said he was just yelling, not throwing any punches.

Does it really matter? I can easily understand a guy losing his temper, when a beer is thrown of his girl friend, after having kept it for 7 innings of mindless, moronic, profane. heckling. What I can't understand is why someone feels the need to heckle, provoke, and yell profanities at someone for 7 innings, instead of watching the game, and finally need to throw beer at them, because they are wearing a Yankee hat. Yet some here seem to find that understandable. Scary.

[Hank Scorpio]

McClouth had a beer thrown at him the other game... I didn't see him going into to the stands throwing punches.

It woulda been a long ass walk, considering the fence in Toronto is like 12 feet high and Nate's maybe 5'10"... he won't be climbing that.

SO, he'd have to jump into the stands he just fell into, then work his way up to the tunnel, then around to the right and probably up some steps to get to the proper elevation, then out through the other tunnel, down to the seat and punch the guy.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Does it really matter? I can easily understand a guy losing his temper, when a beer is thrown of his girl friend, after having kept it for 7 innings of mindless, moronic, profane. heckling. What I can't understand is why someone feels the need to heckle, provoke, and yell profanities at someone for 7 innings, instead of watching the game, and finally need to throw beer at them, because they are wearing a Yankee hat. Yet some here seem to find that understandable. Scary.

I'm no lawyer, but I assume it would make a huge difference in Bell/Fleischman's defense if Fortese was throwing punches vs just yelling. Anyway, atomic seemed to be assuming that Fortese was punching people, so I thought I'd point out that most accounts say he wasn't.

[lovetoaster]

Does it really matter? I can easily understand a guy losing his temper, when a beer is thrown of his girl friend, after having kept it for 7 innings of mindless, moronic, profane. heckling. What I can't understand is why someone feels the need to heckle, provoke, and yell profanities at someone for 7 innings, instead of watching the game, and finally need to throw beer at them, because they are wearing a Yankee hat. Yet some here seem to find that understandable. Scary.

Because some people are just meathead morons. And it has nothing to do with Baltimore, it is in almost every stadium. I go to a lot of events in a lot of places, and it is sad that it stands out to me now when I don't see some idiots trying to start something to provoke a fight. Just stupid morons that get off on being jerks. There are so many things that are unfortunate about this story. I don't understand how nobody sitting around them said something to try and stop their behavior.

Sure, the guy was wearing a Yankees hat. So what? Give him a little good-natured ribbing and move on. Watch the game and enjoy yourself. Don't sit there and throw stuff at him from a distance. Now because of their moronic behavior, two lives are altered forever and one is hanging in the balance. It sure seems like it was worth it come down to the ballpark and act like idiots for a few hours.

[Mondo Trasho]

There's nothing weird about it at all. If the guy is wearing a Cubs hat, or a Brewers hat or a LAD hat or KC hat, etc. you and your snickering friends wouldn't give it a moment's thought. It's all about it being a MFY hat and the fact that their fans have been taking over the Yard when ever they play us here. Any hat but a Red Sox or Yankee hat wouldn't matter. And those two shouldn't matter enough to take your attention away from an exciting game between the O's and the Tigers, and turn it to heckling and throwing beer, unless you really didn't come to see a baseball game in first place.

The jerseys in question were Rays, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. So yeah, me and my snickering friends do take notice of odd ducks of all stripes.

[El Gordo]

I'm no lawyer, but I assume it would make a huge difference in Bell/Fleischman's defense if Fortese was throwing punches vs just yelling. Anyway, atomic seemed to be assuming that Fortese was punching people, so I thought I'd point out that most accounts say he wasn't.

I am no lawyer either, nor would I even stoop to play one on TV. Even though I'm an actor, somethings are beneath even me. However I am trying to understand the behavior of the beer thrower. Can you understand it? I have felt compelled to confront morons on occasion even though I knew it wasn't prudent, but for the life of me I have never experienced the urge to throw beer on someone, even though they were wearing a Yankee hat.

[Dipper9]

Does it really matter? I can easily understand a guy losing his temper, when a beer is thrown of his girl friend, after having kept it for 7 innings of mindless, moronic, profane. heckling. What I can't understand is why someone feels the need to heckle, provoke, and yell profanities at someone for 7 innings, instead of watching the game, and finally need to throw beer at them, because they are wearing a Yankee hat. Yet some here seem to find that understandable. Scary.

This is one of my pet peeves man. Just like the drunks who holler and yell and heckle the players the whole game to get attention on themselves, rather than sitting their asses down and just watching the game!

Maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how that is fun?

[DrungoHazewood]

This is one of my pet peeves man. Just like the drunks who holler and yell and heckle the players the whole game to get attention on themselves, rather than sitting their asses down and just watching the game!

Maybe I'm just getting too old to understand how that is fun?

I used to think heckling players at BaySox games was fun, and usually I wasn't even drunk. Now I just think back and shake my head about how stupid 24-year-old me was. Testosterone poisioning can be a terrible thing.

[Going Underground]

Fundraiser for victim. The Dodgers did something for the attack at Dodger Stadium. I hope the O's will make some type of comment or at least do something for the victim.

The Orioles have not released a comment on the attack, but the team says it is aware of the incident.

The fundraiser will be held June 26, 5-9 p.m. at Jimmy Johns on 1723 Dual Highway. Twenty-five percent of the proceeds will be donated to Matthew Fortese.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Parking Lot 1 at Dodger Stadium.

Monetary donations of cash and checks will be accepted, with checks being made out to the “Bryan Stow Fund.” Contributions will also be accepted via PayPal and online at sfpcu.org.

Assisting the Dodgers in the fundraiser will be American Medical Response and the club’s media partners — KCAL 9, Prime Ticket, KABC 790 and Univision Radio — and the Los Angeles Times, Major League Baseball reported on its Web site.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/06/04/yankees-fan-in-critical-condition-after-brawl-at-camden-yards/

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/04/10/dodgers-hold-fundraiser-for-giants-fan-attacked-at-stadium/

[Tony-OH]

Well I think it depends on the stadium. If the guy had worn a Colorado Rockies hat to the game no one would have bothered him. Don't go to a Steelers game wearing Ravens gear when they are playing the Dolphins next year. You will be the one target in the stadium.

I think that's really the key here. Every team has rivals. For us it's the Red Sox and Yankees. Don't wear those hats in Camden Yards in neutral games because you are asking to be a target for some tool bags. Like I said, they have every right to wear those hats, and no one has a right to commit violence against anyone just because of what they are wearing, but if you wear a Rivals teams colors at a neutral event, you are putting an unneeded target on your back.

[Tony-OH]

Didn't say he did anything wrong...all I said was that if you are in a situation where you are potentially calling attention to yourself you need to be prepared for the actions of those looking for trouble.

Such a simple concept that seems to be missed by some on here.

[Tony-OH]

Not sure what you're getting at? I think one thing that EVERYONE agrees on is the two drunken Orioles fans were in the wrong here and need to be locked away for a long, long time!

Absolutely, even those of us who think he should not have worn his Yankees cap completely and utterly support his right to wear it and the fact that the only idiots in this case are the two that were arrested. I respect the hell out of the guy for taking up for his girlfriend when they had beer thrown on them. He made the mistake of climbing up towards to drunken cowards (especially the one who threw the sucker punch). Look, I have friends that are Yankees fans. We rib each other and although there are a ton of D-bag fans of all teams, most people are just good people enjoying their team.

My biggest point here is that by wearing the Yankees cap it brought undo attention to himself. That doesn't mean he was at fault, it just means that he made a poor choice to wear that to a neutral game, especially in Baltimore with so many years of Yankees and Red Sox fans coming into Camden Yards and being so obnoxious.

Again, he has every right to wear what he wants, and the two D-bags who assaulted him are the ones at fault here, but it just makes sense not to avoid confrontation if possible, and if he had not worn the hat I'm betting none of this would have happened.