National Post (National Edition)
Fan called out for spreading ashes at Jays game
W INDSOR, ON T. • Rob - bie Ouellette tried to be discreet when he scattered his stepbrother’s ashes onto the field during a Toronto Blue Jays home game this past weekend, but when a breeze helped spread the cremated remains onto a camera man and sound crew, he knew he was busted.
The 32-year-old Windsor man wanted to pay tribute to a loved one, but instead he incurred the wrath of a camp of Jays fans who vehemently criticized him for the stunt. Some accused Mr. Ouellette of jinxing the team.
Even worse, though, was the threat from police, who said they would consider the incident a terrorist threat, unless Mr. Ouellette came clean and told them what he did.
He didn’t expect such widespread attention, but back home in Windsor, his friends applaud him for honouring Joseph Pazner, the brother who died from a heart attack in his sleep last year at age 32.
“I’ve got a good group of friends. We’re all like family, basically,” Mr. Ouellette said Monday. “I just don’t want to be blamed for jinxing the team. It’s not my fault if they don’t make the playoffs.”
Mr. Pazner and Mr. Ouellette were lifelong Jays fans, so it seemed only natural to sneak in a baggie of ashes and dump them on the field, Mr. Ouellette said of the plan he hatched with some friends while at the funeral about a year-and-a-half ago.
“We were out having drinks after and that’s where it first came up,” he said. “We were going to run out on the field and spread them that way, but ge tting Tasered didn’t look like much fun to me, so I’m glad I didn’t do that.”
Instead on Friday during the first of three games against the visiting Detroit Tigers, Mr. Ouellette left his seat in the 20th row and walked down to the field. Standing next to the Jays dugout, he casually emptied the sandwich bag of ashes.
He didn’t have time to say or think of anything sentimental. He just wanted to dump the bag and get back to his seat.
But with the stadium dome open that night, a fairly strong breeze spread the ashes farther than expected, including onto a camera man and sound crew positioned on the warning-track sand around the dugout.
“One guy looked right at me,” Mr. Ouellette said. “We made eye contact, it was really awkward.”
He didn’t think much about his actions until about 20 minutes later when he noticed a commotion down
We were going to run them out on the field and spread them that way
at field level. Then police, security and other stadium staff were also gathering behind him at the top of the stairs. Nearly half an hour after he dumped the cremated remains, security removed Mr. Ouellette from the 20th row.
Talking to police in the main hallway under the second-level seats, he realized how severe the situation could be.
“I figured they would arrest me, fine me or throw me out, but they told me if I didn’t tell them what I threw on the field, they would assume the worst.
“They would treat it like it was anthrax or a terrorist threat,” he said.
The whole incident was nearly avoided.
Mr. Ouellette had forgotten Mr. Pazner’s ashes when he drove to Toronto from Windsor. He had to contact a few friends, who then drove the ashes in time for the game.
The Jays blew a two-run lead against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning and lost 5-4.