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His team denigrated, Yankees fan going home
His vanity plate was stolen, and his team limited-edition flag on his home was burned.
By THOMAS LAKE, Times Staff Writer
Published August 30, 2007
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Holding his limited-edition Yankees flag, Fred Slaven of Port Richey says he's a hate crime victim. He plans to move back to New York.
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[Times photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes]
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PORT RICHEY - First they stole his license plate. Then they burned his flag.
Fred Slaven is convinced this makes him the victim of a hate crime. And after six years in Florida, he's going back to New York.
Yankees - and their fans - are generally welcome there.
The opposite may be true on Blackstone Drive in Embassy Hills, where Slaven lives. About a month ago, someone stole the Yankees vanity plate from his Chevy Malibu.
Then, on Wednesday morning, he walked outside and saw his limited-edition Yankees flag, complete with the dates of all 26 world championships. It was still hanging from the pole attached to his garage. But someone had burned a black hole in its center.
Slaven is 47, and his left forearm is tattooed with the N and the Y, and his garage is a shrine to his pinstriped demigods.
The destruction puzzles him.
"Seems to me," he said, "somebody either doesn't like New Yorkers or they just don't like the New York Yankees."
Generally, hate crimes have to do with the victim's race, religion or sexual identity. Slaven would like to add a new category: sports-team allegiance.
In the world of sports, no team is more hated than the Yankees.
And no one hates the Yankees more than Boston Red Sox fans.
This makes Florida a strange battleground. Both teams have numerous fans here, and they occasionally collide, which is a bit like Russia and China having a war in India.
Slaven reported the arson to the Sheriff's Office. The incident report lists no suspects.
The Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 5-3, just hours before the flag caught fire.
This is probably a coincidence.
Thomas Lake can be reached at tlake@sptimes.com or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6245.
[Last modified August 30, 2007, 11:14:27]
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Comments on this article
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by Praximus
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09/06/07 08:26 AM
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Who cares, baseball sucks anyways
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by donna
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09/03/07 11:38 AM
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well at least jen & mindy have a brain.
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by The Army of WSG
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09/02/07 11:15 PM
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Deserved it. go back to new york.
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by Jen
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09/02/07 02:08 AM
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Regardless of how you may feel about the Yankees, this is still vandalism. Since when is it ok for someone to destroy someone else's property? People should be free to show team pride without having to worry about their things being destroyed.
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by mindy
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09/01/07 08:02 PM
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maybe people in florida should really get to know new yorkers. they're the nicest people around, and floridians need to get used to it. don't like us, too bad, deal with it
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by samantha
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09/01/07 11:45 AM
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hatred in people out there. lets turn this negative energy into positive and start spreading a little love instead, then maybe, just maybe, this world would be a better place.
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by samantha
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09/01/07 11:44 AM
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deserved it if his home went up in flames&household members died? would it be a joke then? this was a hate crime, no difference if he was flying a religious flag or american flag. the motive behind this was hate. people wake up, there's so much....
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by samantha
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09/01/07 11:41 AM
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this was uncalled for. we are in america, the greatest country in the world. if the man wants to fly a flag to support his team he can do that, and should be able to do it without any worry or retaliation. someone says he deserved it. would he have..
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by samantha
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09/01/07 11:39 AM
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everyone is missing the whole point. if the flag was stoen it's one thing, or torn, another thing, but FIRE!?! does someone hate new york or the yankees so much that they would risk the lives of all humans in the household? fires is arson & this....
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by Matt
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09/01/07 09:53 AM
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Obnoxious Yankee fan going back to NY? Love it! Take some of your buddies with you. Hope Rays sweep this weekend to further dim evil empires play-off hopes.
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by nicole
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08/31/07 09:12 PM
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Reading comments like these, I can see why he's so desperate to leave Florida.
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by Jeff
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08/31/07 07:59 PM
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Probably a Sox fan. Rays don't have enough fans with spines, just bandwagon cowards who only show support when Boston or NY is in town. All the "move back" and "I became a Rays fan when I moved" retorts just show what fickle fans they are. Losers lol
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by stephanie
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08/31/07 07:03 PM
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its not the point that the flag got burnt but it wasnt fire resistant the house would of went up in flames.
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by Dan
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08/31/07 07:00 PM
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Why do people have to go Fanatical over things? It usually leads to trouble from other Fanatics. Get a life Fred.
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by danielle
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08/31/07 05:51 PM
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There is also no law saying you cant fly a certain flag either. Its his right to do what he wants on his property and if he wants the ny painted on his front lawn he should be able to do it. He is totally right for making this a big thing.GoYANKEES
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by danielle
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08/31/07 05:49 PM
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I wonder if it was a devil ray or any other sports team flag out there if they would be making comments like this. You all hate the Yankees and New Yorkers and thats just too bad. theres no law saying that New Yorkers cant live where they want.
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by danielle
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08/31/07 05:46 PM
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I would consider this a hate crime because its no different if he had a religious flag or any other flag out there. You guys arent getting the point its still someone who hated the yankees and new yorkers and the house could of laso went on fire
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by Go Sox
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08/31/07 05:44 PM
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Someone said some people dont like New Yorkers... Are you kidding? How about everyone but New Yorkers doesn't like New Yorkers. They are just loud, rude and obnoxious people.
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by FRANKIE NYPD
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08/31/07 12:16 PM
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HEY JAMES! THE SEPT 11TH HIJACKERS WERE FLORIDA RESIDENTS AND ILLEGAL ALLIENS TO BOOT CUT THE NEW YORKER SOME SLACK IF NOT FOR FLORIDA'S LACK SECURITY WITH DRIVERS LICENSE SEPT 11TH WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.NEW YORKERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT
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by jake
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08/31/07 12:13 PM
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ATTENTION EDITORIAL STAFF PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS POSTED AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SCREENED OUT FOR PROFANITY AND HATE .A CRIME WAS COMMITTED HERE OR DID I READ YOUR ARTICLE INCORRECTLY. USE SOME JUDGEMENT.
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by Troy
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08/31/07 11:57 AM
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This story isn't about Yankees or Red Sox, but about vandalism of a sports collectible. Yankees, Sox ... 'Noles, or Gators... shouldn't matter. What if a neighbor stole or burned your US flag on your property? Would you stifle your self-expression?
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by G.W.
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08/31/07 09:47 AM
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This is too funny. A Hate Crime? Ha ha, get the S-A-O to prosecute this one. In N.Y. this guy couldn't get the police to give him the time of day for such kid crap. I doubt the local mullet wrapper in N.Y. would print this story. I-75/95 North/hurry.
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by SHARON
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08/31/07 09:28 AM
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I THINK THAT'S A DISGRACE. I HOPE YOU FIND THE CREEP THAT DID THAT. I LIVE WITH MET FANS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME & HAD THE YANKEE FLAG&SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS FLAG RIPPED DOWN,I PUT THEM BACK UP ONLY TO HAVE THE YANKEE FLAG STOLEN.BT A NEW ONE&ITS UP AGAIN!
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by Chris
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08/31/07 09:09 AM
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I'm visiting the Bronx and flying a Devil Rays flag. Do you think any low life would vandalize it? If you can't take the heat, move back to the Bronx, home to the biggest under achievers in baseball. Largest payroll ever, 0
titles since 2000.
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by rocky
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08/31/07 09:01 AM
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Folks, it is just a game. Relax. In America we can all root for any team we want to, even if its the Yankees. Lets spend our time worrying about the real problems in this world.
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by Pete
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08/31/07 08:33 AM
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It is sad that so many people are jealous of New Yorkers.
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by jim
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08/31/07 08:26 AM
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good maybe he can take some of his yankee friends with him. a devil rays fan
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by Black Knight
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08/31/07 03:05 AM
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It is a shame there is so much hate in Boston. It used to be a great City. You should read the article from a Boston fan who is threatening to have Joba's arm broken. What is really pathetic is that Francona started it all..
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by Jason
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08/31/07 01:47 AM
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"Is he the only Yankee fan moving back to NY, or are there others???"
Hopefully there will be lots of others.
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by Mark
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08/31/07 12:11 AM
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POOK--youre a real yankee fan?? I hate to be the one who crushers your "ALlegience", but the yankees play in the American League (AL), not he NL...oh and GO SOXXXXXXXX
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by Cracker
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08/30/07 11:27 PM
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Like others I am disheartened by what has happened to Pasco and Hernando counties - Little New York is right! Mr. Slaven, I believe you simply take I-95 N...
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by James
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08/30/07 11:01 PM
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"PLEASE FOLKS REMEMBER "SEPT 11TH" NYC WAS NEARLY DESTROYED BY ARABS WITH FLORIDA DRIVERS LICENSES,THAT LIVED IN THE COVER OF THE TRANSIENT STATE "FLORIDA".Idiotic, why would 9/11 and baseball be compared here? Sounds like you think Floridians did it
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by Joe
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08/30/07 10:12 PM
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Red Sox fans are low lives
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by Pete
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08/30/07 10:02 PM
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The Yankees have a huge following in the area. This sounds more like a case of simple vandalism. Move back to NY based upon this? Sounds like other issues are involved.
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by RYAN
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08/30/07 09:00 PM
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I WOULD KILL!!!!! GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!
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