Gardena Grad Sued in Pro Baseball Fight

Aman Hicks says players for the Baltimore Orioles’ rookie league team in Bluefield, W.Va., and fans from surrounding communities have a love-hate relationship not unlike those in cities with major league clubs.

“They cheer us when we’re doing well and they get on us when we’re not,” said Hicks, a recent graduate of Gardena High School who plays center field.

Hicks can accept that arrangement, but he says one fan went too far on the night of July 4.

The fan, Stephen Simmons, 22, of Bluefield, contends it was the other way around. He has filed a $2 million federal lawsuit against Hicks, catcher Jeff Champ and the Baltimore Orioles, alleging that the two players assaulted him with a baseball bat after the game.

Hicks reacted to the lawsuit with laughter Thursday when contacted by telephone at the team’s quarters at the Highlander Motel in Bluefield.

“There wasn’t any bat involved,” he said. “(Simmons) just got beat up and that was it. He caused it, but now he’s trying to sue.”

David Burton, Simmons’ lawyer, said his client suffered a broken jaw, a head cut and damage to his teeth and eardrums. Burton said Simmons was hospitalized for four days.

“One of these boys hit Simmons with his fist,” Burton said. “The other took a bat and hit him in the jaw.”

Details are sketchy. Burton would not say who punched Simmons and who allegedly struck him with a bat. Hicks said he has been instructed by the Orioles not to discuss the matter at length, and police apparently have few clues as to what set off the fight in the parking lot of Bowen Field on the Virginia side of Bluefield.

Jack Asbury, chief of police in Bluefield, Va., said his department did little more than answer the call and arrange for an ambulance to take Simmons to the hospital.

“We have a report on it,” he said. “Basically, it says there was an injured person and a fight. There hasn’t been any statement or criminal charges filed, to my knowledge.”

According to Burton, Simmons and a friend, Paul Croner, exchanged words with several players during the game. Then, immediately following the game, the fight started in the parking lot, where Hicks said fans sometimes spend hours “drinking beer.”

Simmons alleges that the Orioles and the Bluestone Security Agency were negligent in allowing Hicks and Champ to assault him with a bat. “There are people in management who knew these boys had some words shortly before this happened,” Burton said.

Hicks said he was unaware of any problems with the fans until he got into the locker room after the game.

“I heard that someone was threatening us,” he said. “I didn’t think anything of it. When I came out (to the parking lot), I didn’t know what was happening.

“It wasn’t anything like (Simmons) says it was. He’s just trying to create a big story. I have at least 20 witnesses. I’m not worried about it.”

Arthell Rencher, Hicks’ godmother and guardian for the last three years, was shocked when she learned of the allegations.

“There’s no way,” Rencher said. “Aman’s nickname is Ho-tie, which means wealth and health. He is a very sweet person. I was surprised when they told me that he had hit someone, because that’s not him.

“I don’t know exactly what happened, but from what Aman told me, he was provoked. You can only take so much.”

The 5-7, 165-pound Hicks entered this week hitting .200 (25 for 125) with 9 runs batted in and 6 stolen bases. Last season at Gardena he hit .526 with 20 steals and was named to the all-L.A. City 4-A team. The Orioles drafted him in the fourth round.

Hicks will return home on Aug. 29 for two weeks before going to Florida to participate in an instructional league.

Will he miss Bluefield?

“It’s the last place I’ll miss on Earth,” he said.