“I can't stand here and try to convince you one way or the other" - When Gary Sheffield claimed that he was hit in the face by a fan at Fenway Park
Former New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield was one of the menacing power hitters of his generation. Throughout his 22-year MLB career, "Sheff" mashed a whopping 502 home runs, striking fear into the hearts of pitchers across the MLB. Even though his opponents may have feared him, one Boston Red Sox fan did not stand down to the former outfielder.
Back in 2005 when the New York Yankees were playing the Red Sox at Fenway Park, one Boston fan got into an altercation with the 9-time All-Star. During a play in the outfield, Gary Sheffield was chasing down a ball that rolled to the right-field corner. At this point, Sheffield said that he was struck by a fan, leading to an incident along the outfield wall.
"Everything happened so fast, you have to look at the tape and pass your own judgment. I can't stand here and try to convince you one way or the other," Sheffield said of the incident which was being investigated by the MLB.
While interactions between fans and players are not uncommon given the proximity to the field, it's rare that a physical altercation takes place. Although it was likely more shocking than anything, Sheffield said that he would be fine after the incident.
"It wasn't that hard enough punch to knock you out or anything," Sheffield said of the alleged strike.
After the dust settled, the fan who was involved in the run in with Gary Sheffield was ejected from Fenway Park. Even though the fan in question was forced to leave the stadium, the Red Sox supporter was reportedly not arrested for the altercation.
Gary Sheffield was no stranger to physical altercations throughout his major league career
Although Gary Sheffield's incident with the fan might be one of the most infamous, the former five-time Silver Slugger winner was no stranger to getting into a dust up throughout his career. One such incident occured in Cleveland when Sheffield was a member of the Detroit Tigers.
During the game, he was hit by a pitch from Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona (now Roberto Hernández Heredia). Although the Tigers slugger did not initially rush the mound, after a pick-off attempt at first base, words were exchanged and the two quickly rushed one another.
As punches were exchanged, the benches cleared, and both players were ejected. Carmona received a six-game suspension, while Sheffield received four.