Giants Fan Beaten: Giants Fan Critically Beaten After Dodgers Home Opener

The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants in their season opener on Thursday was overshadowed by an ugly incident that took place in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium after the game.

According to Richard Winton of the Los Angeles Times, three Giants fans were attacked by two men wearing Dodgers clothing and one was critically beaten.

Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Sanford Rosenberg reportedly said that one of the fans suffered a "serious head injury" during the assault.

The men then attacked the trio, kicking and punching them and shouting expletives about the Giants as they delivered the blows, Rosenberg said. The attack left one victim hospitalized in critical but stable condition, Rosenberg said.

Before the game, a Giants fan hired a plane to fly over the stadium waving a banner that read: "Dodgers still suck. From SF champs fans."

Comments

[rich3324]

12:35 PM on 04/04/2011

The nice thing about going to a Washington Capitals game is you don't need to worry about wearing your Red Wing stuff since about half of the fans cheer for the Wings.

[clutchkill]

11:27 AM on 04/04/2011

If it didn't happen in Philly it will get ignored. The sports media will still talk about snowball and Santa Clause from 40 years ago but nothing about the majoe problems in the LA parking lots.

[DenverWilliam]

12:25 AM on 04/04/2011

Come watch your team play in denver....wear you teams jersey...Id bet you would have fun and make friends

[Frank Choi]

07:32 PM on 04/03/2011

It's a shame things have to get this way.

[Louis A Delgado]

05:13 PM on 04/03/2011

This is nothing new. It happens in every sport, There is always some fanatic who thinks by hitting some opposing fan will make things right. Almost everyone is responsible. The owners, players and those who do post game highlights. They are always promoting the sport by commenting highlights as battles., war, enemy and whatever it take to liven up the sport.

Here in Chicago you have tight security before the game. Once the game is over you hardly see police officers outside the ball park.

We have an announcer here in Chicago who refers to the other teams as the bad guys.

I love sports but, I bet if I went to my favorite ball player for help because I lost my job or my mortgage is due they would care less.

[Qtips]

01:11 PM on 04/02/2011

The dangerous stuff at Dodger Stadium seems to happen at night. I went to a Giants-Dodgers day game last season and I didn't see ANYTHING that even remotely represented controversy. I sat in the cheap seats and the worst insult I heard was a Dodgers fan telling a Giants fan that he should sit down because his hat and his shirt didn't match. I jumped out of my seat and screamed like a fool for Tim Lincecum several times and no one even looked at me sideways. I guess the best advice I can give would be to avoid night games.

[jihadlives]

09:25 PM on 04/27/2011

Actually just being respectful will go a long way. I will bet you anything what Brian Stowe was talking smack and just got checked!! Classic LA baby!!! That's what will happen if you show disrespect!

[maxfax]

12:30 PM on 04/02/2011

No cameras on the parking lot?

[umdala]

08:54 PM on 04/02/2011

Actually, it was captured on security cameras, we just need better journalism. I'd be very afraid if I were those two thugs: my understanding is the mob is already looking for them so, they better hope they're arrested first by the police.

[DSOTM]

12:16 PM on 04/02/2011

The owner of the plane should be investigated for possibly inciting violence, that was really irresponsible of him to do that.

I hope they catch the three guys and send them away for attempted murder.

[jkeen60]

12:53 PM on 04/02/2011

Really? A sign that says the Dodgers suck is enough to incite 3 men to beat someone to the point that the victim is hospitalized in critical condition? What you had was 3 men who were probably intoxicated who saw 2 Giants fans (they were in SF gear) and decided to beat someone up. Should we blame the Dodgers for serving these people alcohol at $8 a cup; should we blame the victims for attending a Dodgers game in Giants gears (LA fans know you don't wear Dodgers gear at SF games).
Why don't we just blame the 3 people who did this and punish them to the full extent of the law.

[DSOTM]

01:17 PM on 04/02/2011

Not for the beating, those 3 guys are fully responsible, but flying a banner that is meant to humiliate people should not be allowed only because it has the potential to create a serious problem.

If a stadium was being rented for a religious event, would it be OK to fly a banner over the stadium insulting that religion, I think not.

[Raoul Duke2]

12:25 AM on 04/03/2011

Please document when any Dodger fans were beaten and hospitalized at a
game in SF.

[schmuckwithearlaps]

12:14 PM on 04/02/2011

A NATO no fly zone over Dodger Stadium and the Staples Center should be a higher priority than Libya. In that country it is a question of which strong man will emerge as dictator. A far more important issue in LA is whether we are heading headlong into the end of civilization. Clearly, the area around Dodger Stadium after opening day's game was closer to cave person days as any fiction writer could dream up.

[jkeen60]

12:53 PM on 04/02/2011

Newt was all for that but changed his mind when the President opted out of the first pitch in DC. Newt is now calling for the Padres to intervene instead.

[dbrett480]

12:11 PM on 04/02/2011

People have always claimed that Raiders fans are the worst. These people have never been to a Dodgers game where most fans have just been released from jail.

[crparke]

12:06 PM on 04/02/2011

I don't want to make this into a racial thing, but having been to dozens of Dodger games I'm betting the attackers were of the Mexican wannabe gangster variety. They seem to be bringing soccer hooligan culture into the stadium.

I'm a Dodger fan and I don't even like Dodger fans.

[schmuckwithearlaps]

12:17 PM on 04/02/2011

The same people who were ethnically cleansed when they built the stadium? It took Fernando on the mound to convince any Mexican American in LA that the Dodgers were anything but the enemy.

[IsotelusMaximus]

01:02 PM on 04/02/2011

I'm not sure that they're "wannabes." More than likely, they are the real deal.

[earto44]

10:59 AM on 04/02/2011

Once inside this ball park, you take a look around and ask yourself, why did I come here.

Gang members and beer. Always makes a fun day.

[Manuel Zamudio]

01:19 PM on 04/02/2011

Opening day or the first couple of games are the worst days to go to Dodger stadium. Ive been taking my son to the stadium his whole life and Its safe. maybe some people are just afraid of dark skin people regardless of where they are at!

[earto44]

04:16 PM on 04/02/2011

Yup. I must be wrong. Probably just an isolated situation.

I am sure I have been to way more games then the two of you combined, therefore I see the decline. You have no perspective to gauge the situation. To you, this must look completely normal. I get it.

[IndyGuy]

10:59 AM on 04/02/2011

People can become totally uncivilized at sporting events mainly for the alcohol that's consumed. I'm a Packer fan and went to Soldier Field in Chicago to see a Monday Night Football game. The Packers were kicking the Bears around pretty good. I went to the bathroom during the 3rd quarter and as I entered I heard the familiar taunts and loud shouting. I just went about my business and all of a sudden I felt a punch in my back. As I turned around a couple Bears fans threw punches at me. Instinctively I threw a couple back to defend myself and made for the exit. I couldn't believe that I was in the middle of a scrum! I just wanted to enjoy the game. That night I saw a number of incidents (mainly from Chicago fans). My elderly father was almost punched as well as a jerked reached up and tore a Packer fans cheese head. To be honest that was the last football game I will ever attend in Chicago. Bears fans are the worse!

I'm all for a drink or two at a game, but what happened there was totally out of hand! Needless to say I was extremely excited to see the Packers beat the Bears, at Soldier Field nonetheless, for the NFC Championship this year!

[jkeen60]

12:56 PM on 04/02/2011

Why would you wear Packers gear to a Bears home game? You realize you put a target on your back (literally) for the drunks to hit. This goes for any away fan at a rival's stadium. Yes, you should be able to peacefully attend a game as the away fan, but the reality is that it won't happen if you are decked out in the away team's gear.
We are all tribal and it carries over even to sports at the lowest PeeWee level.

[IsotelusMaximus]

01:14 PM on 04/02/2011

What did you think was going to happen? Did you think drunk guys from Chicago were going to welcome you with open arms and offer you some nachos? Was this your first out-of-town game you've been to? Trust me, I think you should be able to go and enjoy the game in peace but you need to smarten-up. Would anyone attacked you in the bathroom if you wearing a plain coat?

Trust me, I learned the hard way as well. I was a 16 year old punk who thought it would be funny to wear Steelers' gear in Cleveland (back when the Browns were the real Browns). I barely made it out of that stadium alive. I was dodging beer bottles, spit and fists all day.

It is what is, so now if I go to Cleveland, I wear my bright red coat and no one bothers me.. Go figure.

[lulumer]

10:56 AM on 04/02/2011

What a horrible tragic story.
Prayers for this young guy.
One more reason to hate LA and the Dodgers.

[earto44]

10:52 AM on 04/02/2011

This stadium is filled with prison release gang members. There is no security after the game. These thugs ruin the game, and constantly threaten other fans during the game. Security at Dodger stadium is non existent once the game ends. No security to help cars exit the packed stadium. No security in the parking lot to deal with the drunk gang members who frequently beat up fans. I hope these two hire a couple of good lawyers and take the owners of Dodger Stadium for every penny they have. This is a dangerous place to take your family for a ball game. Those fun days are over for this place. This incident is a daily occurrence at Dodger Stadium.