Adam Jones allegedly endured hatred nobody should be forced to contend with on Monday night. The Baltimore Orioles outfielder claimed to be the subject of racial abuse at the hands of Boston Red Sox fans at Fenway Park. If the allegations are true, immediate action needs to be taken at ballparks across the country - there is no room for intolerance of any kind at baseball stadiums across the United States.
An ugly night in Boston
Tensions were already high between the two teams coming into the night after a previous incident of spiking on the field perpetrated by Orioles third baseman Manny Machado.
Whether or not that tension carried into the stands is hard to determine, but there's certainly a decent chance it did. Even so, the actions at Fenway Park were inexcusable and Jones' allegations need to be fully investigated by the team and local authorities.
According to the outfielder, at least one fan threw a bag of peanuts in his direction. Jones claimed that fans hurled the N-word in his direction throughout the evening. He also claimed that he was under the impression that around 60 fans were removed from Fenway Park on the night, although that is currently unconfirmed. Speaking to Bob Nightengale of USA Today in the aftermath of the evening, Jones had little issue declaring what he thought should've been done about the problem.
Swift and immediate responses
Jones was clearly upset by what occurred at Fenway Park. He also claimed that this was not the first time he was subject to abuse while playing against the Red Sox. As for the fans, he didn't believe an ejection and suspension from the ballpark was enough discipline. He believes they should be fined, much in the same way players are for transgressions; he isn't wrong in believing that it would certainly be a massive deterrent to unruly fan behavior at sporting events.
On Monday morning, the Red Sox released a statement about the Jones incident. They condemned the actions of the fans who made the entire fan base look bad. They also promised that an investigation was ongoing and discipline would be enacted against those who violated their stadium policy. What that means isn't currently clear.
All that's known is that changes must come to Fenway Park to assure it's a safe haven for players of all races and demographics - the number of African-American ballplayers is dwindling and Monday night was evidence of a possible reason for it.
