The Region - News from June 23, 1986

A man on his way to referee a baseball game was beaten at a Hyde Park playground when gang members mistook his blue umpire’s shirt for the colors of a rival gang, police said. Geary Dancy, 30, of Los Angeles was hospitalized with cuts and bruises after the incident at Van Ness Park, Sgt. Steve Grenier said. Dancy was walking to a baseball diamond when 15 to 20 gang members attacked him with their fists, feet and a crutch. “Some of them were wearing red and apparently thought Dancy’s blue shirt meant he was from another gang,” Grenier said. The crowd broke and ran when passing patrol officers rushed up. Two juveniles were later booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.