Arrests from Dodgers-Angels fan fight must send message to repair ballpark behavior

A dispute over a hat – yes, really, a hat – devolved into a violent brawl at Wednesday's Freeway Series finale at Angel Stadium that has since resulted in a pair of arrests.

In a disturbing video posted to social media, a Los Angeles Angels fan wearing a Mike Trout jersey can be seen getting punched by a man in a black shirt in the row in front of him. Once the Angels fan fell back into his seat, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan in the row above him proceeded to kick him directly in the head.

Per a report from Steve Henson of the LA Times, Anaheim police have since arrested a pair of 26-year-old men from Tustin in the aftermath of the incident. The primary attacker was charged with felony assault, while the other man with misdemeanor assault. It's unclear which of the two assailants is considered by police to be the primary attacker, and the identities of the two arrested individuals have not been released.

According to a police spokesperson, the brawl allegedly started because someone was accused of stealing a hat. The victim – who appeared to be knocked unconscious during the attack – reportedly declined to be taken to the hospital by Angel Stadium personnel, but it's unclear whether he sought medical attention after the fact.

Arrests in Dodgers-Angels fan fight will hopefully play drastic role in repairing ballpark behavior

The Angels went on to complete the series sweep of the Dodgers with a 6-5 comeback win, but the significance of what happened on the field in Wednesday's game pales in comparison to what happened off of it.

Such violent behavior is disgusting and has no place in baseball, or sports in general. Arrests or no arrests, the assailants in the viral video should be banned from attending any more games at Angel Stadium – or at any Major League stadium, for that matter.

The Cleveland Guardians banned a fan earlier this year after he taunted Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran about his suicide attempt. A few months later, Major League Baseball banned a fan from all MLB stadiums after he heckled Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte about his deceased mother. As for Dodgers fans? They've been the subject of concerning violent behavior for years now, both on the road and at home. Most are obviously aware this isn't happening with the majority of the fanbase, but it happens more frequently among theirs than others — or at least we're led to believe that with everything that's been documented.

This latest incident at Angel Stadium is a continuation of a disturbing trend in fan behavior, and there should be serious consequences for those involved.

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