posted on July 10, 2003 10:15:52 AM new
So if it turns out that Randall Simon is a vegaterian should he be charged with a Hate Crime
In all seriousnes though what the hell was he thinking ! Viewing the tape about a thousand times he really did nothing even after the poor girl fell down, It could be viewed as a harmless accident if he would af least leant a hand after the two fell to the ground. Probably going to cost hima demotion to the minors
MILWAUKEE -- Pittsburgh first baseman Randall Simon was questioned by sheriff's officers after hitting one of the Milwaukee Brewers' sausage mascots with his bat during a game.
Simon
Deputy District Attorney Jon Reddin said he was reviewing tape of Wednesday night's sausage race and would decide later Thursday whether to file charges.
Simon said Thursday he spoke to the young woman he hit.
"I talked to her. I don't need to talk to her again. So I got nothing to say," he said after a meeting in the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.
When asked whether he hit the woman on purpose, he said, "People who know me well know better than that." He then left with his lawyer, and they both declined to answer further questions.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Pirates said they would "address this issue internally."
"The Pittsburgh Pirates apologize to the Milwaukee Brewers organization and to the Brewers' fans for this unfortunate incident," the statement read.
Simon will not be in Pittsburgh's starting lineup for Thursday afternoon's game.
Simon had been handcuffed in what is standard procedure for those taken to jail, Deputy Inspector Sherry Warichak of the sheriff's department said. She said he was "totally cooperative."
Simon was taken to the Milwaukee County Jail to be booked after Wednesday night's game, won 2-1 by the Brewers in 12 innings. He was then released and ordered to appear in the district attorney's office.
Four people in sausage costumes race around the infield warning track between the sixth and seventh innings at Brewers' games to entertain fans.
When the group went past the Pirates' dugout, Simon took a half swing at the Italian sausage character, hitting her from behind and causing her to tumble. When she fell, she also knocked over the woman dressed as the hot dog.
"They both were treated at the scene for scraped knees, but at this point I don't think they have any other complaints," said Warichak, whose department provides security at Brewers' games.
Warichak identified the person in the Italian sausage costume as a 19-year-old woman from South Milwaukee whose first name is Mandy, and the person in the hot dog costume as a 21-year-old woman whose first name is Veronica.
The deputy inspector said the victims and Simon were interviewed at the stadium. She and Brewers spokesman Jon Greenberg declined to identify them further.
"The Pittsburgh Pirates apologize to the Milwaukee Brewers organization and to the Brewers' fans for this unfortunate incident," the team said.
Rick Schlessinger, Brewers' executive vice president for business operations, called Simon's conduct "one of the most outrageous things I've ever seen inside a ballpark or outside a ballpark. It sickened me to see it."
Greenberg said the racing sausages were scheduled to compete against racing pierogies (dumplings) at a series with the Pirates in Pittsburgh Aug. 15-17 and then again during a series between the teams Aug. 22-24 at Milwaukee.
