BASEBALL / JOHN LYNCH : Brouhaha With Fan a Lesson for Young

Already struggling through a turbulent season, minor leaguer Dmitri Young is at the center of a controversy. He is serving a 30-day suspension for punching a fan during an incident that the player says was triggered by racism.

Young, 21, formerly of Rio Mesa High, is an outfielder and a 1991 first-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals. During a troubled season this year with Arkansas in the double-A Texas League, he has been criticized for being overweight and for his poor defensive play. He also strained the club’s patience on a trip to Shreveport, La., where he was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace.

There was nothing peaceful about Young’s behavior on July 31 in Wichita. He and teammate Keith Jones were suspended after they went into the stands and fought with spectators.

The players can reduce the suspension to 20 days by performing community service. Young also is waiting word on an appeal, filed by his agent, that might allow him to play immediately pending the outcome of a hearing.

Young wants to be heard. He claims he has been “pencil-whipped” by the Arkansas media, which have harshly condemned his actions, he said. Young insists he was provoked by a racist fan, saying his actions were justified.

“I have no remorse about it,” he said. “I felt I had to do it. It’s all right to heckle during a game. But when they get to racial stuff, that crosses the line.”

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Young does not dispute the facts of the incident. He endured a night of heckling from fans sitting behind home plate who repeatedly referred to him as “pork chop.” It’s not the first time that Young, who is 6 feet 2 and has weighed as much as 265 pounds this season, has heard that nickname.

But as the players left the field after the game, Young said, a fan yelled a racial slur at him. Young hopped into the stands and confronted his tormentor.

“I said, ‘What did you call me?’ ” Young said.

When the fan responded with a two-word obscenity, Young said, he decked the man with one punch. A wrestling match followed, with other fans joining the fight.

“The guy was being a smartass around his buddies,” Young said. “I guess he had a beer too many. All his boys up there were trying to kill me. Fortunately, their knuckles are as soft as toilet paper.”

Jones came to aid his teammate--with a baseball bat. When he struck a fan across the back, the fight ended instantly. Before the night was over, Texas League President Tom Kayser, who coincidentally had attended the game, suspended the players.

Young and Jones are allowed to travel with the team while on suspension and can take infield and batting practice in uniform before games. But they must be out of uniform once the game starts. Young has spent nearly two weeks watching games from the stands.

Fans in Little Rock and on the road have been supportive, he said, even those who heckled him before about his weight.

“They recognize me and have been supportive,” he said. “I’ve been sitting up there with hecklers having a grand old time watching baseball. And most of my teammates say they would have done the same thing. Even my white teammates agree with me.”

Still, Young seems torn about his behavior. He remains unrepentant, but said he would handle future confrontations differently.

“I’ve learned what to do next time,” he said. “I would find someone that is high up and report what happened. I won’t take matters into my own hands.”