Heckler who insulted Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte over his deceased mother permanently barred from attending Major League baseball games.
A spectator at Tuesday's White Sox versus Diamondbacks game faced an indefinite ban from all Major League ballparks, thanks to a vile comment they made about Arizona's player Ketel Marte's late mother during the contest.
The comment, made during Marte's seventh-inning at-bat, left Marte visibly upset. He was consoled by his manager, Torey Lovullo, and fellow shortstop, Geraldo Perdomo, after the incident.
Details reveal that the fan's comment centered around the tragic death of Marte's mother, Elpidia Valdez, who passed away in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2017.
Lovullo was visibly upset as well, telling reporters after the game, "Fans can be nasty sometimes. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
The fan was promptly ejected from the game and is now also banned from attending White Sox home games. While the Arizona Republic reported that Marte declined to speak on the matter, many others condemned the fan's behavior.
MLB commended the White Sox for taking immediate action and expelling the spectator. Perdomo was equally furious, stating that the fan should be banned permanently.
When the two teams met again the next day, Marte received a round of applause from the White Sox fans, who showed their support with a message on the video board that read, "Baseball is Family. The White Sox community supports Ketel Marte."
Such incidents spark calls for stricter measures from Major League Baseball, ensuring a respectful environment for all players and protecting them from harassment during games. This indefinite ban is a clear example of such an effort.
The incident at the White Sox versus Diamondbacks game on Tuesday involved a fan making a vile comment about Ketel Marte's late mother, Elpidia Valdez, during Marte's seventh-inning at-bat. MLB and the White Sox community are now advocating for stricter measures in sports, including permanent bans for fans who exhibit such disrespectful behavior, as the fan will be barred from attending all Major League Baseball games moving forward.
