Dear fans: Please stay off the field. That simple request comes from those of us who politely occupy the rest of the world. Atlanta Braves star outfielder and National League MVP favorite Ronald Acuña Jr. was accosted by two fans who ran onto the field at Coors Field. Fortunately, nobody was injured.
Acuña, who was in right field for the Braves during the bottom of the seventh inning of a 14-4 Atlanta win, was first approached and hugged by a fan who had his phone out and was attempting to take a selfie. As security guards tried to pull the first fan off of Acuña, a second, seemingly more aggressive fan sprinted into the fray. Acuña ended up on the ground, prompting Braves teammates to run toward the incident.
Another angle of Ronald Acuña Jr. being knocked to the ground by fans who invaded Coors Field…
🎥 @ChazSchneider pic.twitter.com/Px4bwTM7Fc
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 29, 2023
Braves Outfielder Gets Knocked Down
Get Off My Lawn! (This means you)
To continue this open letter to fans: You may say almost anything within the boundaries of good taste, dress up as you desire, or even do the dreaded wave, but do not run onto the field. Also, take your selfies from a distance.
The second fan continued to resist as the fans were restrained and forcibly escorted off by security. But Acuña said afterward that even the more aggressive of the two was merely trying to get a photo. Neither intruder said anything to Acuña unrelated to getting a photo. It’s not the first physical incident involving rogue fans at Coors Field this season. In April, Denver police investigated after a fan tackled Dinger, Colorado’s mascot.
Acuña went 4-for-5 with a two-run home run, two stolen bases, a double, a walk, five RBI and four runs scored. He became the fourth player in MLB history with at least 25 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season. He’s a homer shy from becoming the first 30-60 player.
When asked, Acuña reportedly hesitated to demand severe consequences for the fans.
A Great Moment Could Have Been Better
The incident brought to mind a significant moment in Braves history that was also not-so-great due to overzealous fans. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron was rounding the bases after hitting his record 715th home run when two young fans ran up from behind to pat him on the shoulder. They were merely excited fans. Aaron, always a congenial fan favorite, seemed to smile. But to an impartial observer, they ruined Aaron’s big moment.
This incident occurred in a heated political climate, only six years after the assassinations of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Anyone witnessing the moment held their breath. Aaron had received death threats leading up to the achievement.
In the Ken Burns documentary Baseball, Aaron said he was so overwhelmed by the moment that he did not think of fans being so close to him, but later realized it could have been dangerous. A nation watched this event on Monday Night Baseball as legendary broadcaster Vin Scully summarized the moment eloquently.
The Power of Forgiveness
Britt Gaston and Cliff Courtenay were only 17 when in attendance at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Jumping onto the field along the first-base line, the teens caught up with a startled Aaron as he rounded second base, each giving him a quick pat before they peeled off and tried to make their getaway down the third-base line. They didn’t get far.
According to reports from that game, officers caught Courtenay before he even got over the railing. Meanwhile, Gaston got about ten rows up when he realized there was no escape. They were bailed out of jail by Gaston’s father, and the charges were dropped when they appeared in court the following day.
Aaron died in 2021 at age 86. In a 2010 meeting with Courtney and Gaston, Aaron said he was glad they didn’t get in too much trouble. The three had also reunited for the 20th anniversary of the landmark homer. Forgiveness is indeed its reward. But as for the fans: Please don’t do something over the line that says forgiveness is necessary. Not everyone has good intentions, and players, security, and other spectators cannot know what is in your heart or head.
Photo Credit: © Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
