Bad Fans

[Brian Watson]

At what point does it all end? This was in the local paper:


Worthington police yesterday charged a spectator with menacing, saying he threatened a referee on Saturday at a soccer game.

Patrick R. Bishop, 21, of 4022 Bosswood Dr., Gahanna, is accused of yelling "I have a gun'' during a high-school game.

The incident happened at 6:15 p.m. at a Thomas Worthington High School athletic field while the school's junior-varsity team played the Westerville North team. The score was tied 1-1 with 12 minutes left in the game.

Bishop's brother-in-law was playing for the Westerville North team, Lt. Robert Oppenheimer said.

"This guy had been yelling at the referee all evening long on the calls he was making,'' Oppenheimer said. "He became upset and yelled out, 'I have a gun.' ''

Because Bishop had no weapon, Oppenheimer said, he has been charged with menacing rather than the more-serious charge of aggravated menacing.

Because only a few people in the stands said they heard the threat, he said, Bishop was not charged with inducing panic.

And because Bishop uttered no obscenities, he was not charged with disorderly conduct, Oppenheimer said.

Menacing is a fourth-degree misdemeanor with a maximum jail term of 30 days and a maximum fine of $250, police said.

Bishop is scheduled to appear in Worthington Mayor's Court on Sept. 26.

"You hear across the country where people in the stands get out of hand. The message we want to send is we will not tolerate it here in Worthington,'' Oppenheimer said.

Craig Murph, 49, a Columbus steelworker who has refereed soccer for 15 years, said the spectator made the weapons comment after a call against Westerville North.

"He'd been saying things throughout the game,'' Murph said. "I felt threatened, so I terminated the game.''

Murph said he couldn't tell who made the comment. Sgt. Jim Mosic said the Westerville North athletics director learned the spectator's name later and passed it along to police.

After the game was canceled, Worthington's varsity soccer team played Westerville North in a stadium on the same grounds at 300 W. Dublin-Granville Rd. where the junior-varsity game had been played.

Murph agreed to stay and referee that game after Worthington police told him that they would patrol the game.

Mosic said the spectator's wife called him yesterday.

"I think the fan's emotions got the best of him,'' he said. "He regrets the comment and says it's out of character. He's concerned and apologetic.''

Clair Muscaro, head of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, said his organization will review the matter after it receives the referee's report about the incident. The association is the governing body for interscholastic sports in ninth through 12th grades.

"It's the first time I've ever heard of someone commenting that they had a weapon,'' said Muscaro, who has been the commissioner since 1990.

"We expect our spectators to set an example for good sportsmanship. We expect them to be good role models. Unfortunately, there are some who don't accept that responsibility.''

Muscaro said he expects Westerville North to take some action against the spectator.

"Something should be done. I'm not sure what,'' Murph said.

He said the incident won't keep him from refereeing soccer.

"I hope it's an isolated case,'' Murph said. "I've been refereeing these teams for years, and I've never had any problems with them.''

Worthington and Westerville North school officials could not be reached yesterday for comment about the incident.