On Baltimore’s No-Crowd Baseball Game This Afternoon

Paul Kafasis on the decision to play today’s Orioles-White Sox game in Baltimore in an empty Camden Yards:

Holding a sporting event in the middle of a rioting city is fraught enough, but at least a claim could be made of doing it for the fans desiring a dose of normality. Playing to an empty stadium, however, will only alienate the public further. If a city isn’t safe enough to host a baseball game in front of a crowd, it shouldn’t host a baseball game at all.

“Keep Calm and Carry On” has become a household phrase, but we, as a country, sure don’t act like it. If you want to restore normalcy, act normal. I watched some of today’s game on TV, and there were no signs at all that they couldn’t have played the game normally. Fans stood on the street and watched the game in peace.

Moving the game to the afternoon made sense. Playing without any fans in the park was a mistake.

★ Wednesday, 29 April 2015