Emotional Tommy Lasorda: Beaten Giants fan 'didn’t deserve it'

An emotional Tommy Lasorda was among the many who turned out at Dodger Stadium on Monday as part of a drive-through fundraiser for Bryan Stow, the Giants fan who was severely beaten in a stadium parking lot on opening day.

Lasorda teared up as he handed volunteers a $5,000 check for Stow’s relief fund.

“I shed a lot of tears. He didn’t deserve it; he was a nice young man,” Lasorda said later in a phone interview. “This guy is in a coma in the hospital -- I mean, come on, over a baseball game?"

The former Dodgers coach said it's important that fans come together to support Stow.

"It could have happened in any ballpark in America… I think it was very good for Dodger fans to come together to show their respect and sorrow for this young man.”

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Giants and Dodgers fans set aside rivalry after attack, drop off donations 

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-- Gale Holland at Dodger Stadium

Photo: Lasorda at Dodger Stadium on Monday. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Kim]

I beg to differ with Mr. Lasorda, this incident could not have happened in San Francisco because the mentality is different and gangsters don't roam the park looking for a fight. The SFPD also patrols actively..they don't stand at the entrances chatting each other up while gangsters troll the stands looking for victims. Its partially due to the location of AT&T I believe, its not smack dab in the middle of the ghetto like Dodger Stadium..yep, I said ghetto. I could list the other parks this would never happen in - Anaheim stadium, Petco, and as rambunctious as the fans are in Philadelphia, they respect the city and the sport - this happens in Los Angeles because our mayor and our chief of police thinks gang-bangers are a class of people they need to nurture. It's insulting.

But enough from Lasorda,

[JT]

Tommy's trying to help out with a PR nightmare for the Dodgers. This is a story that won't go away as long as this guy is in a coma, and who knows how long that will be? Like other teams in California, the Dodgers have always depended on fans that are there to watch the other team. Between losing them and Dodger fans who don't want to brave the thugs that infest the stadium now, look for attendance to be way down.

[Ken W.]

It's time to install facial recognition cameras at all beer concessions and have each customer swipe their drivers license with each purchase.

[Dan]

Unfortunately the Dodgers organization and MLB are equally to blame for allowing this type of situation to go unchecked for so many years. It is not like this is the first incident to occur in LA. I hope this man's family sues the Dodgers and the league!!!! I don't generally advocate these types of lawsuits but in this case it would be justified. Dodgers and the MLB have both been negligent in protecting the image of "America's Pastime". Shame on them!!!!!

[Gery]

Its true about those- "wannabee" a real human- idiots ? They have no clue of how to just enjoy a sporting event. Nothing else matters around them evidentally. They most likely are one of those reject Laker "fans". Beer guzzling brain -damaged idiots thats what they are. I have neighbors just like them. . They are in every older latin - american neighborhood. Lower common denominator.

[Gery]

I agree with the

[drzoon]

i have two young boys. i took them to a game last year and we sat out where i grew up watching dodger games out in left field. it was out of control; as if i had made a wrong turn into the bad part of town and everyone was drunk and looking for trouble.

never again. we're not coming back. its not worth it.

my boys play basketball now.

[watchitgo]

Too bad McCourt doesn't ante up with the entire cost of the medical and rehab. He was too busy fighting with his ex to pay attention to scum that have taken over Dodger's Stadium and this young man has paid the price!

[Nick]

Any ballpark in America? HA! I'm a Chicago to LA transplant. I've been in many unfriendly ballparks (including Philly, US Cellular), but there's only one where I'm literally afraid to wear anything even remotely resembling colors of the opposing team because too many times I've witnessed the low life scum that is Dodger fans. Not even the father/son White Sox fan umpire beating combo can hold a candle to the pure plague on society that is Dodger fans.

I should also mention that I actually have a boycott of their stadium since 2008 due to these very experiences.

[D]

This was a tragic situation, but unfortunately, this does happen in most stadiums. Yankee Stadium had an incident last year where a red sox fan was beaten, it happens in Philly, SF, Boston, Chicago, Anaheim... yes everywhere. The cholos need to be arrested and thrown in jail so that the park can be returned to the true dodger fans.

[bill]

I'm from philly and that would never happen at our park we might smash up your car or maybe even give u a black eye but we know where to draw the line . We are the most passionate fans period ; them guys , that wasn't passion that was a pure punk ass move . Stow would whoop those idiots 1 on 1 and they deserve payback . Philly sports fans send our support and prayers. That has nothing 2 do with the game so real fans should continue 2 go 2 the games go phils go flyers go birds

[MaryAnn]

Sorry Tommy, this could not have happened at any ballpark in America...only at Dodger "Thug" Stadium.

[joe long]

As a Cubs fan I have heard all the name calling and just walked away, at my age I would not surive this kind of attack.
I will NEVER set foot in Dodger stadium gain, I do not believe the gang element can be contained by anyone.

[Jarney]

Been going to Dodger Stadium since the mid-60's. The stadium vibe was for so many years, Hellen Dell on organ, and Vin and Jerry on transistor radios echoing throughout the ball park. People actually watched the games and Dodgers fans were informed and into the action. A 2-1 score was highly entertaining. Dodger fans are pretty horrible as fans go these days....

As the stadium has become a noisy, over-amped, full of electronic advertising (not to mention that fool that sings the lame Journey song in the 8th inning-is he still at it?) I feel that the fans become impotent because their voices cannot be heard over the din. This does two things: People lose interest in the game, and also, there is a big sonic "smoke screen" that allows idiots to curse and fight, and it is barely noticed. Or it is noticed too late.

I am not a wealthy season ticket owner and therefore sit all over the park and have experienced all strata of society. The experience has become miserable. Ban alcohol sales and REDUCE THE NOISE...

The Dodgers' current owner is short-sighted and cheap...The stadium doesn't need updating except for security. Not a very pedestrian-friendly entering/exiting of the ball park either, I might add. One must avoid drunk drivers while leaving the stadium. Cursing and provoking opposing teams' fans is what has become the reason why many people come to the games. Very sad. Wish these people would stay home....I hope Bryan Stow pulls out of it okay...

[Russell Dion]

Dodgers lost me years ago. The stadium was taken over by gang bangers years before. My wife and I vowed to never go back and spend our money there. LA's gang problems are out of control, no matter what the mayor and chief of police have to say about it. Security is a joke, its like Dodger management does not care.

[lbgrrl]

Class act there, with a nice donation. Where is McCourt's money?

[Shag]

Absolutely shameful. Those clowns aren't Dodger fans, they are just thugs. I stopped going to Raider games at the Coliseum after they damned near killed a Steelers fan in the bleachers. It's a game, idiots.

[Rayuvac]

These people who did this should be punished and put to like Death Sentence.

Security and people going to these games should look at any potential danger so they can report to the Police immediately. And any reported incident must be dealt with immediately.

[last time i was at dodger game]

drunks and bullies and loosers who cant even be smart enough to make minimum wage. thats the group I was around and left in the 5th inning. that was 3 years ago. no thank you to the dodgers. its safer to watch on tv.

[Jim Smith]

I remember coming down from Canada to a hockey game in Pittsburgh.
Some clown in the crowd started throwing peanuts at us as we were wearing jerseys from our home team.
Right away the other Pittsburgh fans came to our rescue, getting the idiot thrown out and apologizing for his behavior. Even bought us drinks.
That's the kind of American fans I like to remember, not the idiots like in this terrible story.

[DerailAmnesty.com]

I like Lasorda, but I disagree w/ his assessment. Yes, it could have happened in any ballpark in America, HOWEVER, it was more likely to occur at Dodger Stadium b/c of the culture of lawlessness we have allowed to fester since the early 80's.

We actively import poverty w/ our sanctuary city laws. Our city council and police treat employment, driving and immigration laws as if they are "optional." Millions of folks have unlawfully arrived here since the late 70's; they've had a boatload of kids and statistics reveal that fewer than half of those kids graduate from our public schools.

L.A. is a lot more ghetto and gangsta' than it was when Lasorda was at the helm of the team, and we have no one to blame but ourselves and the people we put in office.

[wthitc]

this would have never happened on Daryl Gates watch. he knew how to take out the trash.

[El Maniaco]

I've been saying this for weeks now on these blogs.... Why are they putting this upon the fans to help out with donations? As it was made clear today, the fans are happy to help with any donation they can and they proved that by todays actions.

Why not "pass the hat" around to ALL THE PLAYERS? Tommy should conduct a team meeting and request that every player make a minimum contribution of AT LEAST $1,000. I say tap into the players themselves and get them to kick in another $100k or so.... The fact that McCourt has only contributed $25k is a disgrace.!

[Robert]

Yes, this can happen in any stadium in America. My buddy attended a Dodgers, Red Sox game in Fenway a few years back and had his life threatened. And yes, they meant it.
I never understood why fans get so riled up... this isn't your team. I don't see them paying you, and I don't think the players will ever want to know your name. Get a life out there....
Same goes for those idiot Lakers fans who jump through fire outside Staples Center after a Championship. Do you really have nothing else in life to get excited about?

[Bill S.]

Wow there sure is a lot of people whining about dodger stadium. If you think all dodger fans are like these two numnuts then you are stereotyping. If you're from out of town and don't want to go to dodger stadium, then don't we don't want you anyway. There sure are a lot of scaredy cats on this message board...