“An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.”
Mahatma Gandhi
The death of Jonathan Denver, a 24-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers fan, allegedly at the knife-wielding hand of a 21-year-old San Francisco Giants fan at a club outside the park Wednesday night, is beyond tragic. While the Giants-Dodgers rivalry is legendary, apparently some have dropped the fun element from that rivalry, emulating Israel-Palestine in animosity.
While the exact chain of events that led to this senseless death is still being investigated, I think it is important to remember that “testosterone + alcohol = danger” many times. There was in all likelihood something more than simply team loyalty driving this violence, yet it is our responsibility as parents, coaches, friends, and fans to model appropriate sportsmanlike behavior.
Sports are entertainment. Like the movies or theatre. I cannot imagine someone from the cast of “Cats” stabbing someone from the cast of “The Book of Mormon” because they won a Tony. Neither could I imagine an actor in a Steven Spielberg film stabbing an actor from a Ron Howard film for winning the Oscar. Winning awards or titles of any kind does not mean anyone is “the best” per se.
The baseball players themselves don’t wish harm to one another. Many are playing against teams they themselves used to be members of, and have nothing but respect for that team. Indeed, they want the opposing team members to be their best so that their victory means something.
Competition of any kind can be healthy and allow one to excel. And it can go in a downward spiral if it is taken too seriously, whether by athletes or fans.
As the Dodgers manager, Don Mattingly, himself stated: “I think the message to all people, all fans, is it’s a game. Leave it on the field.”
Booing and yelling “You suck!” to opponents doesn’t help. First of all, they don’t “suck.” What it takes to get drafted by the major leagues requires Herculean strength of skill and mindset. Second of all, you never know what young mind is taking that negative energy seriously, fueling an over-reaction to a game. Negative comments do not foster an environment of fun and healthy competition. While I appreciate loyalty, and am a huge Dodger fan myself, I appreciate the athletic talent of ALL baseball players. I believe in booing, but only when someone is out of integrity, i.e., cheating, using steroids, etc. Anyone who plays fair has my respect and support. Just because one team wins a World Series, it doesn’t prove they are better!
I understand trying to psych out the opponent, yet I believe in “May the best man win.” It takes a powerful person to walk away. Many young men think they are being sissies if they don’t fight to the death. If that were true, then every man on death row would be a powerful person.
So that Jonathan Denver’s short life and tragic death has some meaning, can we not adopt a more respectful, classier approach to America’s favorite past-time?