The Westfield Bombers and Chicopee Comp Colts meet in the outfield grass, along with Westfield Police during a delay in a West Division 1 baseball tournament game June 18 at Bullens Field. (CHRIS PUTZ/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
WESTFIELD- Westfield Police Capt. Stephen Dickinson said no charges would be filed in relation to an incident at Bullens Field June 18 in which spectators at the baseball game between Westfield High School and Chicopee Comp were heard yelling apparent racial slurs at a player.
Dickinson said that none of the involved parties wish to press charges.
Police were called to Bullens Field just after 5 p.m. June 18. Witnesses heard multiple spectators in the outfield yelling racial slurs towards an African-American Chicopee Comp outfielder. Several Chicopee players responded by jumping over the center field fence to defend their teammate.
The spectators who allegedly shouted the slurs drove away from the scene. The game was subsequently postponed after players from both teams gathered on the outfield grass to show support for each other.
The game was resumed in the 5th inning June 19 without spectators, with Westfield winning 5-0.
Dickinson said June 21 that police were later able to contact the spectators who shouted the slurs. He said the spectators, also African-American teenagers, told police that what they shouted to the Chicopee outfielder was “normal language” between Black youth.
Dickinson noted that a full incident report was not complete at press time.
