Texas Rangers-Oakland game turns ugly when player hurls chair at fans

Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a chair into the right field box seats, hitting two spectators in the head Monday night, as Oakland Athletics fans taunted the visitors after a two-out, top-of-the-ninth homer tied the game.

One of the fans, an unidentified woman, was bloodied and her nose was broken.

Major league baseball's commissioner's office said Tuesday morning it was investigating.

With two outs in the ninth, Texas Ranger Alfonso Soriano tied the game at 5 on his second homer of the night. Moments later, with the Rangers' Hank Blalock at the plate, the Texas bench and bullpen cleared.

``Tonight, it went over the line,'' Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. ``It was a real break from the normal trash you hear from fans. We've had problems about every time we've come here.''

Texas reliever Doug Brocail was seen screaming at a male fan, and the pitcher had to be restrained by his teammates and bullpen coach Mark Connor. Others also had to be held back.

Francisco threw the chair at a fan in a lower box near the Rangers' bullpen along the right-field line. The chair hit one man in the head, then bounced and struck the woman on her left temple.

Security ran to the scene and a small section of fans was cleared from their seats.

A's manager Ken Macha came across the field to speak to Dave Rinetti, vice president of stadium operations, before play resumed 19 minutes later.

There was talk between the umpires and managers of suspending the game, clearing the stands and forfeiting the game.

The Athletics won 7-6 in the 10th inning.

Rinetti said afterward that the woman was being treated at a hospital for facial cuts and a broken nose and was considering pressing charges. Francisco was escorted by police out an alternate stadium exit after the game and into a car waiting on the field. No arrests were made.

Brocail declined comment, and Francisco wasn't around the locker room afterward.

 

After reading this article, I started wondering what could have been said that was sooo bad. I figure these guys hear the worst of the worst from fans during the season. If it was that bad, does it justify hitting them with a chair? Just wondering what others thought about this.

 

Many Oakland fans are pretty much trash anyway and would have gotten a beating or a bloody nose that night at home if they hadn't gotten it at the ballpark.

 

unless the fan physically assault you, you should not instigate physical attacks on the fans.

Player at fault.

 

I was thinking that at first, but then I thought about people that loose it. Like when some people freak out and kill others due to the situation. I'm not condoning the act, just wondering what could cause that type of reaction. The whole bench was trying to get into the stands to fight!!

 

Apparently there is more coming out about this. And Francisco was arrested last night after the game.

"From what I understand, there was some calls made to security early during the game, but I have no idea what started it out there," crew chief Joe Brinkman told reporters afterward.

 

ESPN has a scathing article about the incident.

 

I just seen footage over here and it looks as though the area was swamped with pushing and the guy threw a chair over several people to get this guy but the main impact was her nose

Absolutely unprofessional and it is unquestionably his fault IMO. I know that some things happen in the heat of the moment but from the footage it was just a "mob" attack that went too far.

 

the fans can say anything they want, and the players should not, by any means, resort to physical violence. all he has to do is say, shooo.. i come here, play 162 games, thats right, games, and make more in 1 week, what you will make in a lifetime....

who cares what they say.. how my wife is ugly? my kids are ugly? i'm ugly? i wouldn't care...they can even go as far as making ethnic or racial slurs, and i probably wouldn't care.

 

From watching Sportscenter last night, Francisco was arrested for battery and his mug shot was taken. Bailed out on 15,000 bucks.

The family is pressing charges.

I think it got way out of hand, I mean come on...you're getting paid xxx million bucks while no talent fans are sitting there talkin shit to you and you can't hold back from throwing a chair? save it for a bar fight at least.