Pirates fan asked to remove bag from his head during game, team cites safety risk
By Ricky Sayer
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pirates fan hoping to send a silent but clear message about the state of the team was forced to remove the bag he was wearing on his head, prompting the team to explain why the symbolic gesture isn’t allowed for safety reasons.
Frustrated by the play on the field, the Clemente logo removal, and the Bucco Bricks disappearance, season-ticket holder Tom Lohr decided to wear a brown paper bag on his head to Wednesday’s game.
“It sends a message that wearing a bag on our head that we’re proud to be Pirates fans but were embarrassed of the product on the field and how the team’s been run,” Lohr said. “For me, it represented a nice, peaceful, silent protest.”
During the third inning, a ballpark staff member told Lohr that he’d either have to take off the bag or leave. He took off the bag.
“I asked him why, and he said, ‘there’s a no mask policy at the ballpark,” Lohr said, explaining it prompted him to check the ballpark’s rules online. “There are a lot of rules, but none that say anything about masks.”
A Pirates spokesperson told KDKA-TV that it is an unwritten rule that fans aren’t allowed to cover their entire heads at the ballpark, explaining that it’s a rule that’s common at sports venues across the country.
The rule has been in place for years, and is the reason the Pirates don’t let people in with Halloween masks or any other non-religious full face coverings.
“This [rule] is for the safety and comfort of all our other guests,” the Pirates spokesperson said. “While this incident certainly seems innocent enough, the problem with someone’s face being covered is that it prevents security from identifying fans in the event of a safety emergency.”
It’s the lack of a publicly available policy that left Lohr coming to a different conclusion.
“I’m thinking… he just doesn’t want me to have my bag on my head, because it tells the world that Pirates fans are embarrassed of the product that’s on the field,” Lohr said.
But, the Pirates say that’s not the case and that they have gone to great lengths to ensure even the most frustrated fans can have their say.
“I’d say if you don’t want someone wearing a bag over their face, be honest, be sincere, have some authenticity about managing a team that’s successful,” said fan Stephen Erskine outside of the ballpark Wednesday.
On Opening Day, the Pirates did not toss out of the ballpark the group of fans who followed and berated team owner Bob Nutting.
“We appreciate the passion of our fans and respect the ways in which they express that passion both in good times and bad,” The Pirates spokesperson said.
Lohr is hoping other fans join him at a future game, wearing bags like him.
“In some cases, these face coverings can be scary and concerning to other guests, especially families,” the Pirates spokesperson added.
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