Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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January 25, 2012

W.Va. toughens stance on fans attacking athletic officials

By MANNIX PORTERFIELD for the Daily Telegraph

CHARLESTON — Decades ago, NFL official Armen Terzian was knocked out momentarily with a whiskey bottle hurled by an irate Minnesota Vikings fan for not calling offensive pass interference on a Dallas Cowboys receiver in a divisional playoff game.

Fans were in an uproar after Drew Pearson appeared to push off Minnesota corner Nate Wright before crossing the goal line in the first known “Hail Mary” pass.

No stitches were required, but Terzian finished the waning seconds of the 1975 game with a huge bandage covering his forehead.

Nothing that serious ever occurred to any legislator’s knowledge in a West Virginia athletic event, and the state Senate made sure Tuesday that if an official is ever assaulted, somebody is going to pay.

Put simply, SB183 evens the playing field by making assault and battery on an athletic official — including coaches — as serious as that against an ordinary citizen.

One of the sponsors, Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, said he is unaware of any actual physical attacks at athletic events.

“I’ve just seen verbal, not physical attacks,” he said.

“Obviously, this is sports and there should be role models. Fans should be behaved. Coaches and referees are there to make sure that everything is civil and no one gets hurt.”

An assault would expose a violator to a fine of $50 to $100, and a jail term of 24 hours to six months, or both.

Actual battery would be punishable by a fine between $100 and $500, and from 24 hours to one year in jail, or both.

•••

Senators passed two other bills in Tuesday’s floor session. One allows circuit clerks to charge actual postage costs when mailing out documents. In current practice, clerks may impose charges three times the actual cost.

Another measure lets an estate get out of a lease within two months after an occupant dies. The same right applies to landlords, Judiciary Chairman Corey Palumbo, D-Kanawha, pointed out.

That bill cleared on a 27-6 tally, opposed by Sens. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants; Clark Barnes, R-Randolph; Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell; David Nohe, R-Wood; Gregory Tucker, D-Nicholas; and Bob Williams, D-Taylor.

•••

In another sports-related move, the Senate adopted a resolution applauding Concord University’s baseball team for winning the 2011 championship in the WVIAC.

The Mountain Lions went on a streak toward the end of the season, winning eight of its 11 outings, noted Sen. Mark Wills, D-Mercer.

This marks the fourth WVIAC baseball title for Concord, with past championship in 1954, 1961 and 2001, the senator noted.

Mannix Porterfield is a reporter for the Register-Herald

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