Baltimore Orioles’ Adam Jones is racially taunted at Fenway Park

In the Baltimore Orioles’ first trip to Fenway Park after the dust up between Manny Machado and Dustin Pedroia, Boston fans scream racial taunts at Baltimore’s Adam Jones.

There were a lot of expectations for Monday night’s rematch between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox. Fans tuned in to see the next chapter in the developing rivalry that began nine days earlier in Baltimore.

In the opener of a three-game, weekend series, Baltimore’s Manny Machado slid over second base and into Boston’s Dustin Pedroia. This collision caused Pedroia to exit the game with an apparent left leg injury. In the finale, Red Sox reliever, Matt Barnes was ejected after throwing a pitch behind Machado’s head.

Horrifically, the rematch was overshadowed by what took place in the stands. Baltimore’s Adam Jones told reporters after the game that he was racially taunted by fans. Jones began the season as just one of 62 African-Americans on opening-day rosters.

Racial taunts were consistent throughout the game. Jones went on to say “I was called the N-word a handful of time tonight.” The taunts were not the only action of poor behavior by Boston fans. A bag of peanuts was hurled at the five-time all-star. The fan was immediately escorted from Fenway Park.

Jones called the fans who screamed racial epithets “cowards” and insisted that there should be a stiffer penalty for fans who behave in such manner. Jones’ comments prompted a response from Boston mayor Marty Walsh:

Jones was told that nearly 60 fans were escorted from Fenway Park during action. On Tuesday morning, the Red Sox organization issued the following statement:

“The Red Sox want to publicly apologize to Adam Jones and the entire Orioles organization for what occurred at Fenway Park Monday night,” Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said in a statement. “No player should have an object thrown at him on the playing field, nor be subjected to any kind of racism at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have zero tolerance for such inexcusable behavior, and our entire organization and our fans are sickened by the conduct of an ignorant few. Such conduct should be reported immediately to Red Sox security, and any spectator behaving in this manner forfeits his/her right to remain in the ballpark, and may be subject to further action. Our review of last night’s events is ongoing.”

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Despite the controversy, the Orioles won 5-2 and will continue the series Tuesday night.