Found this article on ESPN.com about the "fan-terference" and thought I'd add my comments in bold.


BOSTON -- The fiancee of the Red Sox fan shoved by Gary Sheffield during Thursday night's game at Fenway Park came to her husband-to-be's defense, saying he had no intention of interfering with the play.

Of course she's going to come to his defense, she's his fiancee and she wants to get her name in the papers too!

The fan, Chris House of Dorchester, Mass., took what appeared to be a swipe at Sheffield as the right fielder was trying to make a play on a ball hit into the corner by Jason Varitek in the eighth inning of Boston's 8-5 win over New York.

"He would never do that," Jodi Ingerbritson told the Boston Herald.

well dear, he clearly did

Replays were shown continually on networks Friday morning.

As Sheffield followed Varitek's roller, he appeared to come into contact with House. Judging from replays, House appeared to reach over the low wall in an attempt to get the ball. At worst, he appeared to interfere with Sheffield's attempt to field the ball.

"He just said he was going for the ball," Ingerbritson told the Herald, in defense of House.

He's already lying to his bride to be. This marriage is doomed. I have a hard time believing he was going for the ball....he didn't even bend at the waist. Not many people can grab a ball rolling on the ground without bending over or kneeling - Inspector Gadget and King Kong are the only ones coming to mind right now.

Replays were shown continually on networks Friday morning.

As Sheffield followed Varitek's roller, he appeared to come into contact with House. Judging from replays, House appeared to reach over the low wall in an attempt to get the ball. At worst, he appeared to interfere with Sheffield's attempt to field the ball.

I tend to agree that he was "at worst".

Sheffield turned and shoved House before throwing the ball back to the infield. Then he whirled around with a cocked fist, but restrained himself and began shouting in House's face.

A security official quickly jumped between the two. House was escorted by security out of Fenway but wasn't arrested following the incident.

Ingerbritson said she spoke to her fiance shortly after the incident and, according to her, he said he never made contact with Sheffield. Sheffield told reporters after the game that "something hit me in the mouth. It felt like a hand. I thought my lip was busted."

have you seen the replay? He most definitely did come in contact with Sheffield

"He's been a season ticket-holder for a lot of years and he's always careful not to interfere with the ball," Ingerbritson told the Herald.

so after years of being good, he just picked this moment to be a dumbass? I don't buy it. I still don't think he was going for the ball though....he probably just thought it'd be funny to knock Sheff's hat off or something. What an idiot.

House refused to elaborate.

"I'm not going to say anything till [Friday]," he was quoted as saying.

gotta have time to fabricate a response and make sure the cameras are all there?

Asked what he was thinking when he restrained himself, Sheffield mentioned Ron Artest. The Indiana Pacers player rushed into the stands during an NBA game last November, beating a man he thought had doused him with beer. Five players, including Artest, and seven fans were charged in the ensuing melee, and Artest was suspended for the rest of the season.

sure Sheff, either that or you realized that it would've been 35,000 on 1

At least one fan outside Fenway came to House's defense.

"All he [the fan] was doing was reaching down to catch the ball," said 16-year-old Rachel Amaral.

My last comment is that I still can't for the life of me figure out why that Angels fan that beat Reggie Sanders over the head with a Thunder-Stik during the World Series in 2002 wasn't skewered in the media. That's one of the most heinous acts I've ever seen by a fan.....much worse than what this House guy did. Was it because she was female? I really never got that one answered.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.