We received a phone call late this afternoon from The Highest Reaches of The Philadelphia Phillies. Their Front Office was calling to express their concern and horror over Our Incidents at Citizens Bank Park on September 27th. As promised, The African Queen and I had expressed our pointed opinions, in writing, about our treatment from their Fans that NL East Clinching Day for The Phillies, as well as CBP Security and The Philadelphia Police. Point By Point, we spelled out that saturday afternoon in a letter to the team.
The Philadelphia Phillies called in response, first to apologize, but also to state they are taking these incidents seriously. In fact, they were "Horrified" over what happened to us. And their efforts will not stop with that phone call. The Phillies Front Office wanted to let us know that an investigation has been opened and is currently underway. Top Management is directly involved. They will be back in touch with us soon.
Just wanted everyone to know that All Is Not Quiet On The National League Eastern Front.
Until something is actually done, I don't believe a word anything coming from any Philadelphia organization's mouth.
ReplyDeleteNicely done!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear of this, because this is a serious problem. When you go into a baseball stadium wearing the team colors of the visiting team, you should be prepared for some teasing at the very least. But NOBODY should have to fear for their physical safety. I remember the Tigers actually closed off their bleachers one summer in the mid-eighties because of the obnoxious behavior of their fans.
ReplyDeleteNot every Phillie fan is an uncouth neanderthal, and now is the time to keep the idiot fans in check. Many fans around the country still do not know what both you and TAQ went through at Citizens Bank Ballpark, but if they try to treat Dodgers fans the same way in the NLCS, it will make national headlines.
Anyway, take care, and let's hope that some future October we'll be seeing the Nats in the playoffs!
Perhaps MLB needs to outline a fan code of conduct as the NFL recently did. I was interested to read about the NFL code in some recent Washington Post articles.
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you for sticking to your guns!! You are doing all Nats fans a favor so that we won't get the same treatment in the future. So thanks!
ReplyDeleteI am a Red Sox fan and have been to games at Yankee Stadium in the past (pre-2004 when they always killed us) with my Sox gear on. The fans are intense and the heckling was pretty outrageous but good natured. But I never felt in danger or experienced anything like you went through.
Only comparable story I have is when I went to an Indians game in Cleveland at their old dump of a ballpark. It was a night game. I was on the road and someone broke into my car in the stadium lot. Luckily I had already checked into a hotel, so my belongings didn't get stolen. I finally found a security person after wandering around the lot in the dark for a half hour. When I explained that I was from out of town and was driving to Cincinnati that night and asked if there was some place I could get my window replaced in the morning. They said "what do you want us to do? The police station is 12 blocks that way." I wrote a similar pointed letter as yours to the Indians management and got a nasty one back from them (no phone call) about how they don't guarantee security in their lots and I should have called AAA. So at least the Phillies management appear to be repentant. I've rooted against the Indians ever since!
You guys did the right thing. Unfortunately, I think it will be hard for the Phillies management to find the perpetrators but maybe they will be more observant to visitors in the crowd and how the home fans behave.
ReplyDeleteBut I never felt in danger or experienced anything like you went through.
ReplyDeleteIf that's the case, then there would be no problem with me going up to Yankee Stadium next year to see the Nats play.
Wait---there is a problem. I won't be able to afford a ticket! *wauugghh!!!*
One small step for civility in Philadelphia!
ReplyDeleteThe Phillies should be upset that the money they are spending on security is being wasted by people who are not doing their job.
ReplyDeleteHope this improves in the future. From what I hear the Flyers fans are actually decent to traveling supporters so it can be done.
Was this your first game at CBP? I ask, only because you must realize that the game you went to was an ENORMOUSLY important game for the Phillies. The Nationals were basically the one thing standing in the way of the Phillies NL East title, so there's a good chance that the fans were far more wound up and hostile to opposing fans than normal.
ReplyDeleteI am in NO WAY excusing their behavior. It's terrible and wrong that you were treated this way, and you did the right thing by complaining to the Phillies and hope you get some resolution. But I just hope that you don't form your opinion about a fan base based on this one unique experience.
I am a Phillies fan, and I will be the first to say that our fans are some of the toughest in baseball. But on a typical non-pennant race game in June, you should be able to come to the ballpark and be more or less left alone. There might be some comments thrown your way, but they will be far more lighthearted and you won't feel physically threatened.
Citizens Bank Park is one of the nicest in baseball. I think it's a really fun place to watch a game, and I hope that you will come back and have a more positive experience.
It's terrible and wrong that you were treated this way, and you did the right thing by complaining to the Phillies and hope you get some resolution. But I just hope that you don't form your opinion about a fan base based on this one unique experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support, Tim. If you had read this blog before on a regular basis, you would know that SBF's opinions about Phillies fans were formed long before he and TAQ made their ill-fated road trip to Philadelphia. What happened at Citizens Bank Ballpark merely confirmed them.
Glad you have some response from the Philies Org. Lets see if they follow up or are just jerking around... The Phili fans are the worst white trash. I hope they loose the play-offs and hope the Eagles and Flyers fail this season too... just so their fans get what they deserve.
ReplyDeleteGO DODGERS!!!
There's an interesting article in the Oct. 14 Wall St. Journal about how the Phil. Eagles handle rowdy fans. First, you go through three security points when you come in and if security thinks you are too drunk you are denied entry and given a full ticket refund on the spot.
ReplyDeleteThey also have an anonymous text message system where you text your section and row # to security if there is a problem and they come immediately. That's a great idea because normally if security comes after you leave your seat to get them you probably get even more abuse since it pretty obvious that you are the ones that brought them there.
Maybe the Phillies need to adopt what their neighbors are doing. Here is a link to the article but since Wall St. Journal is a subscription, it may not take you there.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122393578191630373.html
SBF -- good work and thanks for keeping us posted.
ReplyDeleteTim -- thanks for your comments as well. I think it is dangerous to generalize about fans in general. I love the city of Philadelphia and have spend many days there enjoying it and its people.
I have also been to many games at CBP and it is a fantastic venue. I have worn my Nationals gear every time and have never been treated poorly, save for the first game in Nationals history, the opening day in Philadelphia, where some morons in the center field bleachers decided to sling vulgarities my way for wearing a Nationals ball cap. Of course, having waited 33 years for a team to come back to my hometown, I didn't let them bother me on that day.
I will say what SBF and TAQ went through that day is completely absurd. Knowing them both they are among the most polite and nice fans you will meet and I believe 100% of this incident was caused by the Philadelphia fans for no good reason.
Doing what the two of you do BEST, keeping all informed and taking the fight to the right people. I hope this can only prevent others from having your experience. Thanks
ReplyDeleteP.P.
Thanks for the WSJ link, Lee. It didn't work for me but I found this link via Google and hope that it might work for others:
ReplyDeletehttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB122393578191630373.html?mod=rss_Lifestyle
Just thought I'd post this link of DODGER fans harassing a couple of Phillies fans at one of the NLCS games earlier this week. As you can see, this horrible treatment of visiting fans is not isolated to any one city.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HGQDlZd3Xg
I am a Phillies fan, and I will be the first to say that our fans are some of the toughest in baseball. But on a typical non-pennant race game in June, you should be able to come to the ballpark and be more or less left alone. There might be some comments thrown your way, but they will be far more lighthearted and you won't feel physically threatened.
ReplyDeleteTim, I believe you are a minority amongst Phillie fans. I do not mean that a majority of Phillie fans are drunk neanderthals who think it is appropriate to physically intimidate fans of visiting teams. I mean you are in the minority of Philadelphia fans who believe that it would be safe for any fan of a visiting team to come to Philadelphia any time of the year.
Have you read the comments logged in today at the Philadelphia Inquirer? Here are some comments from Phillies fans:
I would take my nine year old to a game in St. Pete. In Philadelphia, Forget it. Too many animals, even if it is only half a percent. As a native of SE PA, I hate to say it.-Ronzini2
Uh, I've been to the games. Out of town fans ARE abused beyond any reasonable boundary. An out of town family absolutely CAN NOT enjoy a game in Philadelphia. Phillies fans are A-holes, Eagles are worse, it's a fact, not fiction. By the way, I'm a Philadelphia fan, just reporting the facts.--Lenny22
Listen people-I believe what he wrote. Read above vandy 123 is from Philly and saw this going on....STOP GETTING RIPPED and act like human beings...Don't be proud of trasshing some little kid from another town. How would you like it if you were at some other town and you little kid was F-you and F- your team...Grow up people...stop[ giving OUR CITY a black eye.....Enjoy this run and rip the METS fans...But stop the bad language around children and the drunken behavior that people love to point to. See Flyers game on Saturday!--John Romano
I am a big Phillies fan. I am also an ex cop from South Philadelphia and can say without any doubt whatsoever that a good many of Philadelphia fans (and for that matter it's residents as well) are classless and thugs. This is not an out of towner saying this...I am a frequent visitor to Citizens Bank Park and had to attend to a lot of problems at the Vet when the Phillies and Eagles played there. Many Philadelphia fans are so angry...at what...who knows, who cares. God forbid someone comes in with a jersey from another team. What is the big f-ing deal...it is a game. Players laugh, joke and maintain friendships across team boundaries...yet the FANS of Philadelphia decide for themselves to act like a-holes every chance they get. I am not talking about the fathers that bring their sons/daughters to the games. I am talking about the fools that inhabit the stands actually believing it is their right to act rudely to other fans. Philadelphia is a negative city to begin with....this just gives the idiots a national stage.-Robert04174