Banned for Life from Yankee Stadium. Too harsh or well deserved?

[metsbats]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?cnn=yes

NEW YORK (AP) -- A baseball fan who jumped from the upper deck at Yankee Stadium onto the netting behind home plate has been banned for life from the ballpark and could be sent to jail, a judge said Wednesday.
Scott Harper, 19, of Armonk, N.Y., pleaded guilty Wednesday to reckless endangerment following last season's plunge at the New York Yankees' Bronx stadium. District Attorney Robert Johnson recommended probation and restitution to the Yankees, but Harper rejected the deal.

Harper's criminal sentence, to be handed down Sept. 19, will depend on the outcome of another case in Westchester County for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, state Supreme Court Judge Troy Webber said.
The district attorney's office recommended 30 days in jail; Harper had faced up to a year. A telephone message left at Harper's home was not immediately returned Wednesday. Harper dropped about 40 feet onto the large net, which stops foul balls from flying back into the stands, during the eighth inning of an Aug. 10, 2005, game against the Chicago White Sox.
The game was delayed for four minutes while he was removed. After the final out, Harper was carried from the ballpark on a stretcher, his head immobilized in a neck brace, and taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released.
Harper told three friends with whom he was sitting that he was going to test whether the net would hold his weight and then jumped, police said. After landing, he sat with his head in his hands for a few moments before climbing on the net back up to the middle level of seats while players watched and the crowd roared. He then was hoisted over the railing and led away by security.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Was this too harsh or what? I can't imagine not being able to enter Shea Stadium for lfe.

What do you folks think?

-David

[sportscentury]

From a liability perspective, it's no brainer. You can't let the guy back in ... what a nutjob.

Reid

[flaco1801]

how ya gonna keep him out? everyone has to show id before they enter because of him? lmao

[sportscentury]

how ya gonna keep him out? everyone has to show id before they enter because of him? lmao

My bet is that they are counting on folks (fans, employees, security, etc.) recognizing him. I don't think Yankees fans, administrators, or security are going to forget him any time soon. If he enters the park, he'll be arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

Reid

[LWMM]

I wonder if the official ruling mentioned Yankee Stadium by name as the park he is banned from? Because if so, he's only going to miss about 3 years worth of baseball...

[cjclong]

Our actions have consequences. The guy chose to be a jerk and now he gets the consequences. Maybe some other nut will think twice before he disrupts a game. We have plently of good fans at games. We can well do without "fans" like him who inconvenience others. And I doubt if not going to a game will be a great a loss for him anyway, his actions show he wasn't very interested in the game anyway. And if he does sneak in and was discovered its possible he could be prosecuted for criminal tresspass if the New York statues allow it. People like that have no consideration for others and I wouldn't lose a minutes sleep worrying about his ban from the stadium. He earned it.

[earlywynnfan]

Kind of along the same lines, did anyone hear about the new policy at Cincy Bengals' games? If you are a persistant jerk, and people around you complain (there's a special # you can dial on your cel), you will be removed from your seat. You can also forfeit your season tix and PSLs!! The story also said that there are 38 cameras around the stadium, so if someone reports you, they can hone in on you and record your actions. These cameras can zoom in close enough to read the program on your lap in any seat in the stadium!

As a father who dreads taking his kids to the ballgame to hear some drunken blowhard swear obscenities at the ref for missing a strike call (from a mere 2,000 feet away), I think this is a good idea.

Ken

[ISUbirdjersey]

Great question. I know Eric was thinking about banning me from this site for life at one point. Thankfully he was nice enough to unblock my IP address and let me post again. This is a great site.

[NeonStatus]

Just reading some old threads and was wondering if anyone still remembers this. Do you think the fan was just banned from the old stadium?

[EurekaDave]

Don't know if his ban applies to new Yankee Stadium but I am surprised if he lived to the opening of the new stadium. And it doesn't surprise me that his stunt has spawned spin-off "Jack-ass" moments by other fans.

It's amazing what people will do for attention, as in "I wonder what happens when I put my finger in this buzz-saw?"

Dave Silverbrand