James Donaldson on Mental Health - As more athletes speak openly about depression, anxiety and suicide, a minority of fans are weaponizing it

It’s a cool Tuesday night in Columbia, South Carolina, and fans of the minor league baseball team the Columbia Fireflies are letting an opposing batter named Marcos Torres hear it.

“Polo!” a half dozen fans respond, mimicking the swimming pool game.

“Marco!” “Polo!” The Conversation is a news organization dedicated to facts and evidence Learn more Baseball fans have developed a reputation for shouting wisecracks to try to rattle players.

But there’s a dark side to heckling, one that concerns me as a researcher of sports, media and mental health : when fans cross the line from playful taunt into verbal abuse.

The latest publicized incident occurred during a game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins on April 14, 2026.

A fan in the stands at Target Field in Minneapolis reportedly told Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran to kill himself .

Duran responded by giving him the finger.

It was at least the second time a fan used Duran’s mental health as verbal ammunition since the 2025 release of the Netflix documentary, “ The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox ,” in which Duran described attempting suicide.

After the game, Duran told reporters, “Honestly, it’s my fault for talking about my mental health, because I kind of brought in the haters.” U.S.

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