On Nov. 18, 2018 the Minnesota Star Tribune published a front-page story about an unsuccessful attempt by Jason Gabbert to ob
On Nov. 18, 2018 the Minnesota Star Tribune published a front-page story about an unsuccessful attempt by Jason Gabbert to ob
On Nov. 18, 2018 the Minnesota Star Tribune published a front-page story about Jason Gabbert's unsuccessful attempt to obtain judicial relief from a trespass notice issued to him by the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 18, 2018, which banned Gabbert from Target Field for a year. Twins fan banned from Target Field over pursuit of baseballs goes to bat to stay at games
The story contained allegations by the Twins, made in court documents, that Gabbert repeatedly violated the team's code of conduct for fans by his overaggressive pursuit of baseballs thrown and batted into the stands during games. One allegation, detailed in affidavits by fans Bradley Haddy and Carol Stenbeck, alleged Gabbert to have physically accosted them after pushing his way into their row to retrieve a ball.
The allegations are categorically false. Gabbert never aggressively pursued baseballs, never violated any Target Field policies and did not cause a physical confrontation with Haddy and Stenback. Security video, initially retained by the Twins, but later obtained by Gabbert, clearly shows that while there was a brief physical altercation between the parties, it was Stenback who accosted Gabbert as he stood in the aisle.
The real reason Gabbert was banned is far more sinister than chasing baseballs It was retaliation for Gabbert's ongoing opposition to racist policies implemented by Twins management and his interference with attempts by Twins employees to enforce those policies.
Veteran reporter Randy Furst, who wrote the story, was made aware of these facts before the story was published, but chose to omit them. He was informed that the allegations were false, yet made no effort to vet the information that the Twins provided, including contacting Haddy and Stenback to verify the accuracy of their statements. Because Furst was either too lazy to investigate the facts, or simply didn't care, a front-page story was published that grossly misled and misinformed the Star Tribune's readers, while protecting the Twins from what would deservedly have been a firestorm of public criticism had the actual facts been published.
In lieu of a factual story by the Star Tribune, this page was created to inform the public of the facts.
The origins of Gabbert's dispute with the Twins.
During the 2017 season, Gabbert noted that Twins security personnel would regularly patrol Target Field Plaza, the public parklike area around Target Field, and order homeless and low income citizens, most of color, to leave the property. If they were seen on the property again, they were given a trespass notice, which promised arrest if they were to return within one year. Gabbert took exception to this practice, on multiple occasions rebuking security personnel for their behavior, while assuring the people targeted that Target Plaza is a public area, funded by taxpayer money, where all people are welcome.
Eventually, Gabbert was contacted by members of Twins management and informed that his interference with security personnel was unwelcome and would not be tolerated. Gabbert informed the employees that he would continue to interfere as long as the racist and unlawful practices continued.
On July XX, 2017 Gabbert was targeted by security personnel as he watch a game inside Target Field. He was asked to produce a ticket for the seat he occupied in Section 12 of the Dugout Box premium seating area. Upon producing the ticket, a guest relations employee told Gabbert he did not believe the ticket was really Gabbert's and ordered him to vacate the seating area. Gabbert, having procured the ticket froma season ticket holder he knew, refused. Soon after, additional security personnel were dispatched to the area and Gabbert was escorted out of Target Field. Two days later, he was approached by Target Field Director of Security Scott Larson and given a trespass notice banning him for one year. Gabbert immediately filed a petition in Hennepin County District Court seeking relief from the trespass notice.
The Twins, through their attorneys, Jordan Weber and Jason Asmus, responded by filing documents alleging Gabbert had been belgerent toward security personnel who escorted him out of the ballpark, even threatening one guest relations supervisor with violence. Like every allegation made by the Twins against Gabbert, this was a fabrication.
A hearing was set for Aug. 17 before Judge Susan Robiner.
The Twins fabricate an allegation that Gabbert violated the trespass notice.
On Aug.12, 2017, Gabbert traveled to Arizona, where he appeared in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix to address a civil matter on Aug. 16, 2017. On Aug. 15, 2017, Gabbert attended the Houston Astros v. Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game.
To Gabbert's surprise, he was emailed documents from Twins attorneys on Aug. 16, 2017 alleging that he was sighted at Target Field during the Twins game v. Cleveland on Aug. 15, 2017, the same day he was at the Diamondbacks game in Phoenix. The documents contained a detailed report by Twins Director of Ballpark Operations Dave Horsman, which included grainy photos of a man purported to be Gabbert standing near the front of Section 11 in the Dugout Box area during the 9th inning of the game, then walking in the concourse afterward. Horsman's report included an affidavit by Championship Club employee Heather Erickson, who stated that she recognized Gabbert as he stood in Section 11 and that he briefly conversed with her.
Gabbert filed a response to the Twins' brief, producing evidence that confirmed his whereabouts in Arizona on Aug. 15, 2017, includng airfare, lodging and rental car receipts, as well as his Diamondbacks game ticket and a minute entry from the Superior Court of Arizona.
Confronted with this evidence, the Twins withrew their allegations that Gabbert had violated the trespass notice and Gabbert agreed to withdraw his petition if the Twins agreed to rescind the trespass notice.
The man in the photos, purported by Horsman to be Gabbert, was never identified. During the 2018 season, Gabbert approached Erickson. Despite claiming in her affidavit that she recognized Gabbert on sight and knew he was banned from Target Field, Erickson did not recognize Gabbert when he approached her and did not recollect his name when he identified himself. When Gabbert asked Erickson why she provided a false affidavit, she stated that Horsman asked her to testify to her interaction with a man in Section 11. Erickson acknowledged that she did not know who Gabbert was and had never heard his name until Horsman asked for her cooperation.
Had Gabbert not been able to verify his presence in Arizona, Judge Robiner likely would have assumed the allegations of Gabbert's presence at Target Field on Aug. 15 were true and ruled against him. In fact, Gabbert would have been charged with criminal trespass had the Twins forwarded the information to the Minneapolis City Attorney.
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