Wild brawl between baseball players, spectators erupts

News.com.au

4 days ago

Some spectators have ruined am American Legion baseball playoffs game.
In footage that has spread across cyberspace, fans were seen running onto the field during Tuesday's game, causing it to be postponed.
The New York Post reports, at least one brawl exploded during East Springfield Post 420's clash with Milford Post 59 in their heated encounter which took place near Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
Police are investigating the issue and are considering whether to charge three individuals, including at least one player and a Milford High School student, Milford Police Department spokesperson Jason Covino told the Boston Globe.
No arrests were made nor were any injuries reported, per the outlet.
'Absolute mayhem taking place over by the third base dugout as members of the Milford crowd have now come onto the warning track on the third base side,' Milford broadcaster Tim Caouette said as the action unfolded.
'Never in all of my years covering Legion Baseball have I ever seen this kind of activity from the fans.'
The game is scheduled to resume on Thursday (AEST) according to the Milford Daily News, and there may be some extra bad blood as East Springfield coach Eduardo Colon alleged Milford coach Steve DiVitto ignited the fireworks by inciting his fans and that 'led to the fans going crazy.'
'Umpires are not reacting to this the way [they] should be,' Colon told the Boston Globe. 'Because if I was to run out in the field and yell at an umpire's face, I would have been ejected immediately.'
The commotion started in the fourth inning with the bases loaded in a 1-1 game and a batter facing a 2-1 count at Fino Field, as captured by the YouTube channel @MyMilfordTV.
Police told TMZ they believe heckling sparked the wild scene, and Colon alleged to the Boston Globe on Tuesday that a Milford fan started the ruckus by arguing with a player's parents in the stands.
In the broadcast streamed by @MyMilfordTV, one individual's voice rose above the murmur moments before things got out of hand.
'What the f*** is you talking about?' the person said. 'Get your ass out of there.'
A 'shut the f*** up' was captured while the Milford catcher looked toward the stands situated near the East Springfield dugout, before one fan seemingly said: 'You're an old ass woman, what the f*** you doing coming in the stands?'
The umpire then turned toward the stands while play stopped. Caouette noted how 'the fans are starting to get into it over on the third base side.'
Not much could be seen, although 'come on this side' and a repeated 'Max' could be heard before an individual in red shorts ran around the dugout and made way onto the field.
Caouette later told boston25news.com Milford fans had been taunting and eventually came on the field and engaged the Post 420 players.
One East Springfield player motioned as if he was ready to fight, while an umpire and what appeared to be a security official grabbed the individual in red.
An East Springfield player wearing No. 19 — which belongs to starting pitcher Eliezer Rosario — then threw multiple punches at the fan and seemingly connected with at least one before being separated by the umpire and others.
The Milford Daily News reported that it 'appeared' Rosario was ejected by the umpires.
Colon told the Boston Globe that the Milford fan whom he alleged started the altercation 'shoved (a player's) mother to the side and took a swing at his father' and acknowledged one of his players threw a punch.
'When the (fan) came around (the dugout), he swung at another parent that tried to stop him from coming, and he was just going swinging,' Colon told the outlet. 'So the kid that had seen his parents getting pushed and swung at, you know, swung back.'
The tension intensified while what appeared to be a fan hit the ground after colliding with a player.
Caouette said that DiVitto made his way over at this point, while pointing out that there had been trash talk happening.
'Great ballgame. It's unfortunate,' DiVitto told the Milford Daily News. 'I don't want to take anything away from how hard the kids from both teams played.'
One East Springfield coach, who could be heard telling the umpires he's the manager — Colon — then started screaming at the umpires before one seemingly told him: 'One more and you're gone.'
The coach then seemingly said no players should be thrown out before yelling: 'My wife got f***ing thrown on the f***ing ground.'
One umpire told the teams to retreat to their dugout and the East Springfield coach then seemingly yelled at the opposing fans.
Colon alleged to the Boston Globe that one of the umpires shoved one of his players in the face while attempting to quell the tensions.
'As an umpire, I understand that he was trying to separate the altercation,' Colon told the outlet. 'But that's not how you separate. The players are not going to put their hands on you.'
The East Springfield coach and DiVitto then conferred near home plate, while Caouette noted how police cruisers had arrived.
As the umpires and coaches congregated, one East Springfield player had to be held back by teammates.
A police officer eventually made his way onto the field, speaking with DiVitto and the umpires and eventually taking statements, per Caouette.
Covino told the Boston Globe that police received a call shortly after 9pm (local time).
Caouette noted then how some Milford fans had 'crossed the line' and said things which 'exacerbated' the situation, but said no Milford players were involved.
The field announcer eventually said they wanted fans to exit in groups.
DiVitto was unaware after the game if any players had been ejected.
'I don't know the final decision,' he told the Milford Daily News. 'The umpires are going to have to speak to the umpiring chief and the state chairman as well. It's just a really unfortunate situation all around.'
Post 59 President Cindy Stulac wrote Tuesday on Facebook that the Milford police chief opted against resuming play that day 'to allow for adequate planning to ensure the safety of all involved to finish the game.'
East Springfield can advance to the state tournament with a win on Thursday, while Milford needs to triumph and then beat East Springfield again to advance, per the Milford Daily News.