Deberg_1990
02-03-2009, 10:33 PM
Now ive seen it all! Scorekeeper thugs!
http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/archive/x1596620213/Fight-between-scorekeepers-could-have-become-a-full-blown-brawl-says-Watertown-sportscaster
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WATERTOWN - The scorekeepers for archrival Lexington and Watertown basketball teams will be summoned to court after trading a splash of water and a punch during a big league game.
Watertown Police reviewed a cable TV video of Monday night’s Middlesex League clash and said it shows an argument start between the two scorekeepers.
“The Watertown scorekeeper then removes a cap from his water bottle and tosses water on the Lexington scorekeeper,” read a press release from Watertown Police Lt Michael Lawn. “The Lexington scorekeeper immediately retaliates by punching the Watertown scorekeeper in the head.”
Josh Bellini is the Watertown scorekeeper, and Nick Santosuosso is the Lexington scorekeeper.
Both men will be summonsed to Waltham District Court for a show cause hearing for assault and battery charges, Lawn said.
The fracas started with 5:26 left in the game, which Lexington won, 65-57.
Police did not say what set off the sideline clash, but among the varying accounts from witnesses, the most common version is that the two scorekeepers had been arguing throughout the game about the number of fouls a Lexington player had called against him.
Play-by-play sports reporter Al Ditullio said the game was a pressure-cooker. Watertown and Lexington are big basketball rivals.
“It was an intense game, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “We were getting into it…It was getting hot and heavy.”
As the game wound down, the Watertown scorekeeper allegedly sprayed water on the Lexington scorekeeper. In video of the incident, it looks like Bellini opens a water bottle and dashes it in Santosuosso’s face. The Lexington scorekeeper then punched the Watertown scorekeeper in the face, hitting his eyeglasses and opening a cut above his left eye.
Ditullio said some of the water landed on him. He was sitting next to the scorekeepers’ table, calling the game.
“Now water during a game like that — all of a sudden you think maybe a fan is throwing something at you,” he said.
But when he looked up he saw blood coming down Bellini’s face. He immediately called over a trainer and police officer.
The Lexington scorekeeper was escorted out of the building, and Bellini finished out the game with an ice pack.
Luckily the incident didn’t prompt a fight among rival fans, Ditullio said.
“It could have gotten very ugly,” Ditullio said. “You know how fans are. All it takes is one incident and that thing could have been a full-blown brawl.”
Ditullio said this is the first time in his 20 years of sports reporting he’s witnessed such an incident at a high school sports event.
He’s seen players get into fights, and coaches get into fights with referees. But he’s never seen two scorekeepers fight.
“You never would think that adults would engage in that type of conduct,” he said. “If you think about it in the overall picture, it’s a game. You’re going to wake up tomorrow morning, and it’s not going to solve world peace.”
http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/archive/x1596620213/Fight-between-scorekeepers-could-have-become-a-full-blown-brawl-says-Watertown-sportscaster
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WATERTOWN - The scorekeepers for archrival Lexington and Watertown basketball teams will be summoned to court after trading a splash of water and a punch during a big league game.
Watertown Police reviewed a cable TV video of Monday night’s Middlesex League clash and said it shows an argument start between the two scorekeepers.
“The Watertown scorekeeper then removes a cap from his water bottle and tosses water on the Lexington scorekeeper,” read a press release from Watertown Police Lt Michael Lawn. “The Lexington scorekeeper immediately retaliates by punching the Watertown scorekeeper in the head.”
Josh Bellini is the Watertown scorekeeper, and Nick Santosuosso is the Lexington scorekeeper.
Both men will be summonsed to Waltham District Court for a show cause hearing for assault and battery charges, Lawn said.
The fracas started with 5:26 left in the game, which Lexington won, 65-57.
Police did not say what set off the sideline clash, but among the varying accounts from witnesses, the most common version is that the two scorekeepers had been arguing throughout the game about the number of fouls a Lexington player had called against him.
Play-by-play sports reporter Al Ditullio said the game was a pressure-cooker. Watertown and Lexington are big basketball rivals.
“It was an intense game, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “We were getting into it…It was getting hot and heavy.”
As the game wound down, the Watertown scorekeeper allegedly sprayed water on the Lexington scorekeeper. In video of the incident, it looks like Bellini opens a water bottle and dashes it in Santosuosso’s face. The Lexington scorekeeper then punched the Watertown scorekeeper in the face, hitting his eyeglasses and opening a cut above his left eye.
Ditullio said some of the water landed on him. He was sitting next to the scorekeepers’ table, calling the game.
“Now water during a game like that — all of a sudden you think maybe a fan is throwing something at you,” he said.
But when he looked up he saw blood coming down Bellini’s face. He immediately called over a trainer and police officer.
The Lexington scorekeeper was escorted out of the building, and Bellini finished out the game with an ice pack.
Luckily the incident didn’t prompt a fight among rival fans, Ditullio said.
“It could have gotten very ugly,” Ditullio said. “You know how fans are. All it takes is one incident and that thing could have been a full-blown brawl.”
Ditullio said this is the first time in his 20 years of sports reporting he’s witnessed such an incident at a high school sports event.
He’s seen players get into fights, and coaches get into fights with referees. But he’s never seen two scorekeepers fight.
“You never would think that adults would engage in that type of conduct,” he said. “If you think about it in the overall picture, it’s a game. You’re going to wake up tomorrow morning, and it’s not going to solve world peace.”