Following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, a heated exchange in the stands quickly turned into a viral controversy, and cost one Karen-like fan her job.
The incident unfolded after Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a great performance, allowing only three hits in a complete game. His performance marked a feat not seen in 21 years and proved that the Dodgers’ $325 million investment over 12 years was paying off. With 11 hits and five runs, Los Angeles cruised to a 2-0 series lead, thrilling fans across the City of Angels.
But not everyone was celebrating. Among the Brewers faithful, frustration bubbled over, especially from one woman later identified as Shannon Kobylarczyk.
In a video that quickly spread across social media, Dodgers fan Ricardo Fosado, a Latino and U.S. military veteran, was seen asking the Brewers crowd, “Why is everybody quiet?” When he repeated the question, Kobylarczyk shot back, “Real men drink beer, [expletive language].”
Instead of backing down, Fosado continued cheering for his team. That’s when Kobylarczyk, appearing increasingly agitated, turned to another fan and said, “Ya know what, let’s call ICE.”
Fosado stood his ground. He urged her to go ahead and “call ICE,” telling her, “I’m a U.S. citizen. I’m a war veteran. I fought in two wars. ICE is not gonna do anything to me. Good luck!” The exchange escalated as she allegedly tried to knock his phone out of his hand before shouting, “[expletive language] idiot,” and storming off.
Watch the video here!
The aftermath was something that Kobylarczyk probably did not see coming. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Yahoo! Sports, Kobylarczyk lost her position as a lawyer at ManpowerGroup, a recruiting agency headquartered in Milwaukee, and resigned from her role on the Milwaukee division’s board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
A representative from ManpowerGroup confirmed her departure, saying, “As soon as we became aware of this video, the individual was placed on immediate leave, and we began an investigation. As a result of this process, the employee is no longer with the organization. We remain committed to maintaining a culture grounded in respect, integrity, and accountability.”
Make-A-Wish Wisconsin also addressed the situation directly. The nonprofit announced, “Shannon Kobylarczyk resigned from the Make-A-Wish Wisconsin Board of Directors on Wednesday, October 15, effective immediately. Make-A-Wish Wisconsin does not condone nor agree with Kobylarczyk’s words and actions.”
The controversy didn’t end there. Both Kobylarczyk and Fosado were banned by the Brewers organization for violating the stadium’s fan conduct policy. The incident again highlighted the growing racial tension in America and how some people would not hesitate to call for ICE ‘brutality’ over something as simple as a game.
While Kobylarczyk was made to pay swiftly for her actions, that does not change the fact that given how the current Trump administration is handling matters of immigration, things are only bound to get worse with instances of such racially charged incidents spiking up.
