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Mets fan charged of trying to distract Atlanta players during game
stevek
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Mets fan charged of trying to distract Atlanta players during game
April 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- A 40-year-old man arrested at Shea Stadium on Friday night is accused of trying to distract an Atlanta Braves pitcher and shortstop with a high-powered flashlight.
Frank Martinez was charged with interference with a professional sporting event and second-degree reckless endangerment, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Saturday.
Authorities said Martinez flashed the powerful light at the players in the bottom of the eighth inning from his seat behind home plate. He was quickly ejected from the game.
"The defendant's alleged actions recklessly endangered the lives of players and spectators and caused a temporary delay to the game," Brown said.
The hullabaloo began at about 10:15 p.m. as the Braves were leading the Mets 7-0. Tim Hudson was on the mound facing Mets pinch-hitter Endy Chavez when, investigators said, Martinez turned the beam on the Braves pitcher and shortstop Edgar Renteria.
Renteria complained to umpire Paul Emmel, who then called time out and alerted security. The security officers removed Martinez and found a "a small, streamline flashlight" in his backpack, Brown said.
"You endanger some of the players out there. Somebody could get blinded. The ball's in play and the light's in their eyes, it's dangerous," Hudson said Saturday after Atlanta's 7-2 loss to the Mets.
Martinez was still jailed Saturday, and unavailable for comment. He was scheduled to remain behind bars until at least the evening, when he had an arraignment scheduled in Queens Criminal Court. Queens prosecutors said Martinez did not have a lawyer yet. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
A law making it expressly illegal to interfere with a professional sporting event was passed by the city in 2003 following a disruptive incident involving fashion designer Calvin Klein.
Klein stepped onto the basketball court at Madison Square Garden in March 2003 to speak with player Latrell Sprewell while a Knicks game was in progress.
The Braves won Friday's game 7-3.
April 21, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- A 40-year-old man arrested at Shea Stadium on Friday night is accused of trying to distract an Atlanta Braves pitcher and shortstop with a high-powered flashlight.
Frank Martinez was charged with interference with a professional sporting event and second-degree reckless endangerment, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Saturday.
Authorities said Martinez flashed the powerful light at the players in the bottom of the eighth inning from his seat behind home plate. He was quickly ejected from the game.
"The defendant's alleged actions recklessly endangered the lives of players and spectators and caused a temporary delay to the game," Brown said.
The hullabaloo began at about 10:15 p.m. as the Braves were leading the Mets 7-0. Tim Hudson was on the mound facing Mets pinch-hitter Endy Chavez when, investigators said, Martinez turned the beam on the Braves pitcher and shortstop Edgar Renteria.
Renteria complained to umpire Paul Emmel, who then called time out and alerted security. The security officers removed Martinez and found a "a small, streamline flashlight" in his backpack, Brown said.
"You endanger some of the players out there. Somebody could get blinded. The ball's in play and the light's in their eyes, it's dangerous," Hudson said Saturday after Atlanta's 7-2 loss to the Mets.
Martinez was still jailed Saturday, and unavailable for comment. He was scheduled to remain behind bars until at least the evening, when he had an arraignment scheduled in Queens Criminal Court. Queens prosecutors said Martinez did not have a lawyer yet. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
A law making it expressly illegal to interfere with a professional sporting event was passed by the city in 2003 following a disruptive incident involving fashion designer Calvin Klein.
Klein stepped onto the basketball court at Madison Square Garden in March 2003 to speak with player Latrell Sprewell while a Knicks game was in progress.
The Braves won Friday's game 7-3.
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steve
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>Well, it could be worse, he could have been throwing batteries at the players like they do in Philadelphia! >>
Only the opposing players mind you!
Mets fans can be no better sometimes. Need we review the Pete Rose/Bud Harrelson incident? I think NYC had a power shortage from all the stored DC voltage being concentrated in Shea Stadium during that series.
Wikipedia -
1973 National League Championship Series
In 1973 Rose won his third and final batting title with a .338 average, collected a career-high 230 hits and was named the NL MVP. The Reds ended up losing the National League Championship Series to the Mets despite Rose’s eighth-inning home run to tie Game One and his 12th-inning home run to win Game Four. During Game Three of the series, Rose got into a fight with the popular Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson while trying to break up a double play; the fight resulted in a bench-clearing brawl. The game was nearly called off when, after the Reds took the field, fans threw objects from the stands at Rose, causing the Reds team to leave the field until order was restored.
Forget blocking him; find out where he lives and go punch him in the nuts. --WalterSobchak 9/12/12
Looking for Al Hrabosky and any OPC Dave Campbells (the ESPN guy)
<< <i>Don't forget it was Mets fans that used to throw used rubbers at their own Doug Sisk back in the late 80's. No wonder Sisk wanted out of NY so badly... >>
The old "Coney Island Whitefish."
<< <i>Frank Martinez was charged with interference with a professional sporting event.... >>
Never heard of such a charge before...
<< <i>Ziggy - it's a law in NY that was passed after Calvin Klein walked on to the court to say something to Latrell Sprewell back in 2003 - don't know the exact circumstances, but that's where it came from... >>
He should have choked Sprewell and given him a little of the P.J. treatment.
Jerry - Come on now, it's a joke. It was only a joke.