May 14th, 2013 at 6:01 am 
by Ron Cervenka It was a sight that I will never forget – not ever.
Hanley Ramirez had just been called out while trying to go from first to third on a single to short right field at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Giants fans had every right to cheer when the sliding Ramirez had been tagged out by Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval, but what happened next was utterly shocking. As Ramirez stood up it was obvious that he had seriously injured himself and was in excruciating pain as he immediately clutched his left hamstring. The man couldn’t even walk without the assistance of Dodger head trainer Sue Falsone and bench coach Trey Hillman – and Giants fans cheered even louder.
This was no longer a cheer for the out made at third base, this was a barbaric cheer from many at the sold out ballpark basking in ecstasy over pain being suffered by another and it was nauseating. How could one human being cheer at the obvious pain and suffering of another human being, let alone ten of thousands of them? The answer is simple – Giants fans are the lowest and most classless fans on the planet.
How could any decent human being in good conscience cheer at Hanley Ramirez’s obvious pain? (Photo credit – Jason O. Watson)
Fast forward to the 5th inning of Monday night’s game at Dodger Stadium between the Dodgers and the Nationals. Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis hit a high fly ball to deep right field and for a brief moment it appeared that it might go out. I began to think otherwise when I noticed Nationals superstar right fielder Bryce Harper going back on the ball at full speed. Harper definitely had a bead on the ball and it looked as though he might catch it. My mouth opened to gasp when I realized that Harper was nearing the warning track and he wasn’t slowing down – not even slightly. It’s called a warning track for a reason and if you get to the edge of it while at full speed you have maybe three steps before hitting the wall.
Bryce Harper hit the wall.
In fact, Harper hit the wall so hard that there was an audible thud that could be heard throughout Dodger Stadium even above the roar of the home run-hopeful crowd. He hit the wall so hard that the impact knocked him almost halfway back to the grass – and he was in obvious pain.
Dodger Stadium fell immediately silent after Bryce Harper hit the right field wall at full speed.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Harper was motionless when center fielder Denard Span reached him. He was motionless when Nationals trainers and manager Davey Johnson reached him. Bryce Harper was obviously hurt, and you know what? Dodger Stadium was as silent as a church. You would have thought that it was Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier or any other Dodger who was hurt.
A.J. Ellis, Ryan Zimmerman and Tim Wallach look on in concern as Harper is attended to.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
After a couple of tense minutes, Harper was helped to his feet and immediately received an ovation from the crowd – the type of applause that normal fans give to a player regardless of what team he is on; the type of applause that shows respect for a tremendous effort, not the rude, obnoxious, disrespectful and inhumane cheers that I had witnessed from Giants fans taunting an injured Hanley Ramirez less than two weeks earlier.
In spite of blood clearly visible on Harper’s neck, he was able to walk off the field under his own power and the applause continued.
Dodger fans respectfully applaud Bryce Harper as he walks off the field.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
After the game (which was won by the Nationals by a score of 6-2), Nationals manager Davey Johnson told reporters that Harper had jammed his left shoulder and required 11 stitches under his chin. Johnson added that his star outfielder did not suffer a concussion and is not expected to go on the 15-day disabled list. In fact, he expects Harper to be back in the lineup within a day or two. My suspicions are contrary.
Although Harper’s absence from the line-up for the next couple of days will undoubtedly work to the Dodgers advantage, I can absolutely positively assure you that there isn’t one single Dodger fan or Dodger player that doesn’t wish Bryce Harper a speedy and complete recovery.
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RT @Think_BlueLA: New post – Dodger fans show class with Bryce Harper injury
RT @Think_BlueLA: New post – Dodger fans show class with Bryce Harper injury
RT @Think_BlueLA: New post – Dodger fans show class with Bryce Harper injury
Excellent read!
RT @Think_BlueLA: New post – Dodger fans show class with Bryce Harper injury
I agree, nobody in their right minds want to see opponent players hurt.
This may or may not work to the Dodgers’ advantage but it’s a lot better to beat teams that are at full strength.
Giants fans can be a bit frenetic; I’ll give you that. To say however, that Giants fans were, “…basking in ecstasy over pain being suffered…” is, in my opinion, a bit much, Ron.
It’s one thing to have a guy lay motionless on the ground, near unconsciousness after running into a wall, while trainers sit and attend to him. But, I’m sure you’d agree, it’s entirely another thing when a guy comes up lame and simply has to be helped off the field with a hamstring injury, mostly walking under his own strength. Let’s compare “apples to apples” here.
I would argue that many of the fans were still cheering the strong throw in from right field off the arm of Hunter Pence… and that was an amazing throw right there.
But, something that hasn’t even been mentioned in the press, was the fact Ramiriez shouldn’t even have been hurt in the first place trying to stretch out that play. How many times have baserunners been taught to never be the first out of an inning at third base? That killed a potentially big rally in that inning and could have saved his hamstring from having blown out… especially since Hanley had just come off the DL and had not played many games under his belt at that time.
…but I digress.
In this YouTube video, right around the 1:04 mark, you can clearly see many of the Giants fans are standing and watching with concern as Hanley is being helped off the field. Just my two cents…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=107vH-kLUrY
If you saw the (many) tweets from Dodger fans who were present at that game in San Francisco, including this one from Steve Lyons, perhaps you would have a different take, but maybe not.
As we all know, videos do not always tell the entire story, but eye (and ear) witnesses usually do.
There is also this from Evan Bladh’s blog site: More Classless Behavior from San Francisco Fans
I was not discrediting the fact that there were some classless fans cheering the injury. I saw it also. Dodger Stadium is not immune to classless acts of rudeness when it comes to injured players.
The point being, Ron, is that if Hanley’s injury was life-threatening, i.e; if he lay unconcious with trainers assisting him, you most certainly would have had the same reverent hush come upon the ATT Park crowd as was the case at Dodger Stadium last night. The fact that Hanley Ramirez only had a muscle pull and was assisted under his own power, is an insult to what Bryce Harper had to endure. The two injuries could not be further apart from each other.
As for Dodger Stadium being the reverent, respectable place for injured opposing players; you must be thinking about another Dodger Stadium, because I clearly remember an element within Dodger Stadium in the past that has applauded a minor injury to an opposing player. I hate it as much as the next person, but it’s an indictment to our society… Dodger Stadium is not immune. But with the level of severity of an injury, a more human element takes over and shuts up even the most asenine of “fans.”
Good for the Dodger fans.That is why it is called a sport. Sportsmanship is never out of style.