I read that as an oblique reference to being called a bunch of racial slurs by Sox fans last year. I don't blame him for being mad about that— it's embarrassing for me as a fan that that would happen.
Damn it, I think you've nailed it. It's a total disgrace that such a thing would happen and there's no place for such behavior anywhere.I read that as an oblique reference to being called a bunch of racial slurs by Sox fans last year. I don't blame him for being mad about that— it's embarrassing for me as a fan that that would happen.
Joe(or anyone else), I haven't been to the fens much(I'm always hundreds or thousands of miles away)- is this shit still going on? I had heard that JH's organization has a low tolerance for dickhead fans at games. Do folks get tossed for racist shit too? I'd like to hear they do.Damn it, I think you've nailed it. It's a total disgrace that such a thing would happen and there's no place for such behavior anywhere.
From everything I've heard and read, things are far better at Fenway these days (unlike the not all that distant past when I complained to an usher about a guy yelling the N word at an opposing player for the whole game and the usher did nothing). But, take a look at the twitter reactions to Joel Ward and PK Subban. We live in a social media age where a handful of the worst "fans" can broadcast their vilest thoughts for athletes and everyone else to read.I am curious about this as well. Who in the fuck is yelling racist shit at players in 2016?
Edit: I do not intend to discredit Price; but I am having a hard time believing this.
Yes they do. It's nowhere near as bad as it was 20 years ago, but you do hear the vile crap now and again at games. If it's heard the perpetrators will be tossed from the park. Zero tolerance at Fenway for it.Joe(or anyone else), I haven't been to the fens much(I'm always hundreds or thousands of miles away)- is this shit still going on? I had heard that JH's organization has a low tolerance for dickhead fans at games. Do folks get tossed for racist shit too? I'd like to hear they do.
With all respect, don't be naive. It does happen and it's happened enough to get mentioned by opposing players. It's not "common," but I've heard it in recent years as have others, and Price and a few other players have mentioned it.I am curious about this as well. Who in the fuck is yelling racist shit at players in 2016?
Edit: I do not intend to discredit Price; but I am having a hard time believing this.
I wouldn't judge any group of people by what is said by anonymous trolls on twitter. 99% of social media is attention starved jackasses screaming into a void hoping to hear something back.From everything I've heard and read, things are far better at Fenway these days (unlike the not all that distant past when I complained to an usher about a guy yelling the N word at an opposing player for the whole game and the usher did nothing). But, take a look at the twitter reactions to Joel Ward and PK Subban. We live in a social media age where a handful of the worst "fans" can broadcast their vilest thoughts for athletes and everyone else to read.
It doesn't take many. There are people going a lot further than throwing racist epithets around at a ballgame. Just look at Natick, if you want a recent example.I am curious about this as well. Who in the fuck is yelling racist shit at players in 2016?
I can vouch for this, saw it a couple times at Fenway last year (both racial and gay taunts). It's not like what just happened around the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade happened in a vacuum.With all respect, don't be naive. It does happen and it's happened enough to get mentioned by opposing players. It's not "common," but I've heard it in recent years as have others, and Price and a few other players have mentioned it.
If you hear it, report it and the assholes will be removed from the park. A few years ago a couple of knuckleheads behind me at a game kept yelling "Faggot" at opposing players and they were removed by the 3rd inning.
Honest question, is it really that much worse at Fenway than other ballparks though? I mean, I'm sure that there are some parks where the fans are total friendliness but I have a hard time believing that ballparks in New York, Chicago etc are much better, but its always Boston that gets singled out. I mean, there's these guys...With all respect, don't be naive. It does happen and it's happened enough to get mentioned by opposing players. It's not "common," but I've heard it in recent years as have others, and Price and a few other players have mentioned it.
If you hear it, report it and the assholes will be removed from the park. A few years ago a couple of knuckleheads behind me at a game kept yelling "Faggot" at opposing players and they were removed by the 3rd inning.
I agree it sucks that it happens at all, and its not really a contest to figure out which ballpark is the most racist... It just seems Fenway gets singled out in this regard. I don't know if that is because it is really that bad or if its just because there is a large portion of the fanbase and media who get raging hardons about how "tough it is to play in Boston" is all.I don't think it matters whether it's better or worse than other cities, the point is that it happens and that sucks.
I mean if Boston was seen as "less racist than Atlanta but more racist than Detroit*", would that make you happy?
* I have no idea, I'm jus throwing out city names.
Good to hear. I swear, when I was rooting for the sox in The Toilet in the late 70s- early 80s, you'd hear "so and so sucks" and "fuck Boston", but I never heard racist stuff, even in the bleachers, and I would have remembered that.Yes they do. It's nowhere near as bad as it was 20 years ago, but you do hear the vile crap now and again at games. If it's heard the perpetrators will be tossed from the park. Zero tolerance at Fenway for it.
Does it really, or do you follow the Sox?I agree it sucks that it happens at all, and its not really a contest to figure out which ballpark is the most racist... It just seems Fenway gets singled out in this regard. I don't know if that is because it is really that bad or if its just because there is a large portion of the fanbase and media who get raging hardons about how "tough it is to play in Boston" is all.
Really? I heard it on average once a game in the 80s. I thought at the time that I could never bring a young kid to the game. Sorry to put it this way, but as ticket prices went up the ability of knuckle-draggers to pay to come, get drunk and look for fights diminished.Good to hear. I swear, when I was rooting for the sox in The Toilet in the late 70s- early 80s, you'd hear "so and so sucks" and "fuck Boston", but I never heard racist stuff, even in the bleachers, and I would have remembered that.
Back in 1986, a NYY fan somehow stole Rice's cap, and when Rice asked for it back, the fan answered with a racial epithet, which led to Rice and most of the 23 other guys going into the stands to get the hat back. (IIRC, Roger stayed behind in the dugout to "keep an eye on the gloves.")Good to hear. I swear, when I was rooting for the sox in The Toilet in the late 70s- early 80s, you'd hear "so and so sucks" and "fuck Boston", but I never heard racist stuff, even in the bleachers, and I would have remembered that.
The book Shut Out relates a story from Ellis Burks about his going on the radio and trying to encourage "WILD listeners" to come out to Fenway, because that station had a large number of listeners of color. They even tried giving away tickets, but most of that demographic wanted no part of Fenway in those days.It also needs to be noted that, while this kind of thing does sadly happen in many ballparks (as noted above), Boston does have a reputation for being a particularly racist city. I know a lot of people in Boston will say that's outdated, and maybe it's confirmation bias...but there are multiple black athletes and performers who play/perform around the country who say Boston is the most uncomfortable place to be.
This game story has Marty Barrett staying behind to "guard the gloves" and Seaver wanting Clemens to get out of the stands before he gets hurt.Back in 1986, a NYY fan somehow stole Rice's cap, and when Rice asked for it back, the fan answered with a racial epithet, which led to Rice and most of the 23 other guys going into the stands to get the hat back. (IIRC, Roger stayed behind in the dugout to "keep an eye on the gloves.")
I was rooting for the sox in Aug of 1978 in the Toilet there was a short rain delay, drunks were hopping on the field and doing belly flops on the infield tarp. Folks threw M80s from the third deck. It was wild, but I will honestly say I didn't hear any racial stuff.Really? I heard it on average once a game in the 80s. I thought at the time that I could never bring a young kid to the game. Sorry to put it this way, but as ticket prices went up the ability of knuckle-draggers to pay to come, get drunk and look for fights diminished.
Well, I did say IIRC.This game story has Marty Barrett staying behind to "guard the gloves" and Seaver wanting Clemens to get out of the stands before he gets hurt.
Wow, good times, mid Sept of 1986. The MFYs were out of it at that time. Friend or foe, Jim Rice in a good year was not someone I'd want to piss off.Back in 1986, a NYY fan somehow stole Rice's cap, and when Rice asked for it back, the fan answered with a racial epithet, which led to Rice and most of the 23 other guys going into the stands to get the hat back. (IIRC, Roger stayed behind in the dugout to "keep an eye on the gloves.")
I don't disagree with you that Fenway (and Boston in particular) seems to get dinged for this stuff more than other cities. And while I get why, is it as bad as other places? I'm not a POC so I can't answer that. I think that there's a lot of evidence that Boston shouldn't be like that (it's a progressive state, etc) but a lot of people who know better than me say it is.I agree it sucks that it happens at all, and its not really a contest to figure out which ballpark is the most racist... It just seems Fenway gets singled out in this regard. I don't know if that is because it is really that bad or if its just because there is a large portion of the fanbase and media who get raging hardons about how "tough it is to play in Boston" is all.
Wait. WHAT THE FUCK?One of the reasons why Boston gets singled out (beyond a shameful history of racism, both in general and specific to the Sox) is that it's one of the few places where fans actually seem to CARE during a regular season game. Go watch a summer afternoon game at, say, Dodger Stadium and people will react to home runs and late inning heroics but that's about it. Most people are chatting, and drinking beer, and doing the wave.
Not only do the people shouting racist stuff have to be the sort of people who would say that stuff, but they have to actually work themselves up into enough of a tizzy to do it. Fenway is a good atmosphere for that, not only because of the whiteness of the fan base (at least in the park) but because everyone is into it and screaming stuff way more often.
Wait. WHAT THE FUCK?
Yeah, I can't remember how many times I screamed the N-word after Ortiz hit a home run. It's not because I'm a racist prick, it's because I was really into the game.
Not only do the people shouting racist stuff have to be the sort of people who would say that stuff, but they have to actually work themselves up into enough of a tizzy to do it.
I'm torn. What are the odds of 1 out of the 500 people who go to a Tampa Bay game shouting racist slurs? But if they did, it definitely wouldn't get lost in crowd noise. You'd hear that shit.Alright I must have read over that part but I'm still not buying it.
I don't think that an intense fandom breaks out racism.
Because the loud asshole in Tampa stands out, he is asked to leave (or told to shut up by someone bigger than him) before it escalates to the point of racial slurs. The loud asshole doesn't stand out in Boston -- there are other loud (non-racist) assholes, plus lots of boisterous fans just enjoying the game, so no one perceives a problem until that loud asshole crosses a line (racial slur, etc.).I'm torn. What are the odds of 1 out of the 500 people who go to a Tampa Bay game shouting racist slurs? But if they did, it definitely wouldn't get lost in crowd noise. You'd hear that shit.
Actually, you do hear about these things happening in St. Louis.Maybe it's partly because our fans are more passionate than the norm, but I'm skeptical -- you don't hear about things like this happening in St. Louis, and I'm sure there's no less racism there than here. .
I think keeping with the times is not the strong suit of racist people. But maybe there is a new group of cutting edge racists I don't encounter.Was hubcap stealing still a thing in 1999? Hadn't most racist people at least moved on to different stereotypes?
What's missing from those links is any public figure (as opposed to a rando with a blog or Twitter account) accusing St. Louis fans of directing racial slurs at players during a ballgame at Busch Stadium. Heckling of BLM protesters isn't remotely the same -- if the hecklers had used racial slurs, I'm sure the author wouldn't have failed to mention that fact.Actually, you do hear about these things happening in St. Louis.
The best fans in baseball!
That doesn't excuse those scumbags who are part of the Red Sox fanbase from the awful things they do or say. But sadly any group of people large enough is going to have some lowlifes like that. It's not just a Red Sox fan thing, it's a racist asshole thing, and there are racist assholes in every fanbase, unfortunately.
I go to a similar number of games and sit maybe half a dozen rows behind you. The only racial slur I've heard in the past 20 years was uttered by a Yankee fan, who was promptly ejected from the stadium (Unfortunately, the black man to whom the slur was directed was ejected as well.)I go to about 10-15 games a year about five rows back in the CF bleachers, and I've probably sat in the bleachers about ten times a year for forty years. I haven't heard anything racial in years, and there's a pretty low tolerance for bad behavior these days. The treatment of women took longer to improve.
Wait..You just admitted you are a racist..Why?? That is no excuse for your racism and why would you be yelling racist slurs at Big Papi? Thought you were a Sox fan.Wait. WHAT THE FUCK?
Yeah, I can't remember how many times I screamed the N-word after Ortiz hit a home run. It's not because I'm a racist prick, it's because I was really into the game.
I think it's reasonable to say that being in a state of intense excitement (about whatever) makes people more likely to shed their inhibitions and say things that they know might cause trouble. The intensity of the fandom doesn't correlate to the racism, but it may correlate to the unfiltering (so to speak) of the racism. As does alcohol, of course, so the combination of the two is powerful.Alright I must have read over that part but I'm still not buying it.
I don't think that an intense fandom breaks out racism.
Somebody's sarcasm meter is broken. I just can't tell if it's yours or mine.Wait..You just admitted you are a racist..Why?? That is no excuse for your racism and why would you be yelling racist slurs at Big Papi? Thought you were a Sox fan.
Yours.Somebody's sarcasm meter is broken. I just can't tell if it's yours or mine.
I think that's part of why it stuck in my head. It was not only a repellent thing to say, it was an anachronism even at the time. But I guess you can't expect Noel Coward from someone like that.Was hubcap stealing still a thing in 1999? Hadn't most racist people at least moved on to different stereotypes?