Indians outfielder Albert Belle, who spent 10 weeks last summer in an alcohol rehabilitation program, threw a baseball at a heckler in the left-field stands Saturday, hitting him in the chest.
The fan, Jeff Pillar, 33, of Cleveland, told the umpiring crew he was kidding Belle about throwing a keg party. Belle picked up a foul ball hit by California's Ron Tingley in the seventh inning, turned and heaved it hard at Pillar from a distance of about 15 feet, hitting Pillar in the chest.Pillar had a welt where the ball hit him. He was examined at the Cleveland Stadium first-aid station but apparently not hurt seriously.
The Indians issued an apology on Belle's behalf.