With new stadiums come the firsts. The first strikeout thrown, the first strikeout victim hurt, the first home run hit, and the first win, loss, and save completed.
We can add a new one to that list, first Phillies fan thrown out. It may just be a dubious honor. But for a Phillies fan you should hold it with honor and pride.
Dictionary.com defines the term casualty as, "One that is harmed or eliminated as a result of an action or a circumstance."
So, does the very first Phillies fan to be thrown out of Citi Field have a name? Of course. His name is Reed Frazier, a 22-year-old, Television and Film Productions major at St. John's University-Queens—as well as a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan.
Frazier was thrown out of a non-MLB event. It was a NCAA baseball game, the very first game of any kind of baseball, professional, or collegiate. The game was a Division-I matchup between Georgetown University and St. John's University.
To give some background, Frazier was helping St. John's Office of Athletic Communications broadcast their university's game live through their athletics website. The weather was, to put it bluntly, crappy. Nobody likes to get wet, so Frazier had put on his Phillies jacket.
Expecting no friendly welcome within the new confines of the NY Mets, Frazier soldiered on. When he arrived at the stadium he was heckled by Mets fans, but that would come naturally, only because he is entering another team's territory.
After meeting a lifelong Mets fan and photographer, he continued his job of setting up the cameras. The photographer and Frazier joked around. Can you believe it? A Met fan and a Phillies fan getting along?
So he was approached by a fellow co-worker and student, who weirdly enough, brought with them a St. John's jacket from the department head of the university. After telling the messenger with the jacket, "Thank you, but my jacket works perfectly well for me," he continued to prepare his camera.
After a John Franco ceremonial first pitch, Frazier went to work. He was approach by another co-worker, who this time was a Mets fan. The co-worker insisted that he put on the St. John's jacket. Frazier told him that the jacket he was currently wearing did not affect his ability to work.
Frazier responded, “If I was wearing a Mets jacket, would this even be a problem?” Frazier even offered a compromise by wearing the St. John's jacket under his Phillies jacket. The second messenger dismissed and rejected the idea and left.
Frazier went back to his camera, only this time to be approached by the department head with the St. John's jacket.
He said, “You have to take off your jacket.”
Frazier replied, “In no way does it affect the job I am doing. It is a non-issue.”
He responded by saying, “It is an issue with the Mets. You can either put on the jacket or leave.”
“Then, I’m leaving," Frazier responded.
Frazier then left the camera platform, shook the photographer's hand, and started to exit the stadium. The head of the department followed him.
He asked, “Are you really going to do this?”
Frazier replied, “Yes.” Then, he left the building.
As he walked to the subway, a group of Mets fans commented, "You got to have balls to wear that here." Frazier chuckled and continued on his way up the steps to the elevated subway platform.
What do I make of this? Here is my commentary:
The jacket was a non-issue. Frazier was correct in saying that in no way was trying to incite people to riot or confrontation by wearing the jacket.
It is most likely because of his allegiances that he was asked to remove the jacket. The problem is that Frazier had no warning from the Mets Organization that they had an issue with him wearing the Phillies jacket.
At least he should of put the St. John's jacket over his Phillies jack and not zip up the St. John's jacket. That way the Phillies logo would still be noticeable.
I would like to get some Mets fans' commentary here.
Then again, it must be some kind of honor to be the first of something?
Right?
- Login to post comments