Pennsylvania High School Fans Are Passionate, Racist

Two stories from Keystone State preps: a wrestling crowd who taunted a black opponent by wearing black bodypaint, and a school that had spectators banned from their home and away games.

In Philadelphia, visiting Frankford was feeling a little intimidated by Olney fans, who refused to sit in the stands and instead hovered around the sidelines despite repeated warnings.

When a Frankford player dunked a ball, Dubin said, an Olney fan standing behind that basket growled at him: "Stop trying to disrespect our team. We're gonna f—- you up after the game!"

He wasn't just talking a big game. The refs ended the game during the fourth quarter in an attempt to keep order, but the crowd followed the Frankford team out to the parking lot.

When we came out as a team [to board the bus home], it was crazy. One of our [adult] fans got jumped right away; he got beat up pretty bad," Frankford coach Ben Dubin said. "Everywhere you looked, there were fights going on, six to eight at a time. I got hit three times, [including] once to the face, but they didn't catch me flush."

Several people were arrested, but the school district came down on Olney. For the rest of the season, only parents of players — who must register in advance — will be allowed to attend games. This applies to home and away games, and fans of either team. And sure enough, their game last night was played in an empty gym.

Let's leave North Philly and head to tiny Martinsburg, a 2-hour drive from Pittsburgh. Surely the kids there are more well-behaved?

Well, yes, if you ignore the two Central High students who showed up to a wrestling meet covered in black paint to taunt a rival school's black athletes.

I was going to joke about black people apparently being a novelty in Martinsburg, but I checked the latest census, and, holy shit, there's not a single one in town. Still, at least the Central AD knew enough to get the students to clean off, and later discipline them.

Frankford hoops team attacked [Philly Daily News] School Bans Fans From Basketball Games [MyFoxPhilly] Two students disciplined for racial taunting incident [Altoona Mirror]