Cleveland Indians Give Young Cubs Fan Knocked Out During Game 1 Tickets to Game 3, Family Says

The Cleveland Indians have given a young Cubs fans who was accidentally knocked out by an Indians fan at the start of Game 1 tickets to see Game 3 of the World Series, the boy's family said. 

David Wallach said the Indians called his family Thursday and offered his 7-year-old son Johnny two tickets to Friday's game at Wrigley Field. 

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David Wallach/NBC Chicago

The tickets follow a dream-turned-nightmare for the father and son, who traveled from a Chicago suburb to Cleveland to see their favorite team in their first World Series game in 71 years. 

Sitting in the bleachers before Game 1 in Cleveland, things couldn’t have started better for the pair, who was celebrating Johnny's upcoming 8th birthday. 

“There was no way to describe how amazing it was,” said David Wallach, of Northfield. “It was everything you could ever dream of. Everything I’ve ever dreamed of was coming true.”

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The father-son duo was stunned by the history they were witnessing — their beloved team in a World Series for the first time in 71 years.

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“It was really cool,” Wallach said. “The game started, it was electric and it was insane and we were having a blast.”

But things quickly took a turn for the worse – just as the Indians scored their first home run of the game.

Indians fans were quick to celebrate, and one of them elbowed Johnny in the head while cheering, knocking the young boy out for about 30 seconds.

“He spun around and I caught him, he was crying hysterically,” Wallach said. “That’s when things kind of went off the rails. Things went from being a dream to a nightmare so quickly.”

With no help in sight, David Wallach took his son out of the stands before flagging down a police officer. The officer started bringing them into a tunnel when Johnny’s knees buckled and the young boy could no longer walk.

“Fans were heckling him,” Wallach said. “Here I am on the ground with my 7-year-old son and they’re shouting, ‘Cubs suck.’”

Eventually, paramedics arrived and decided Johnny needed to be transported to a hospital for treatment.

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David Wallach

Meanwhile, Wallach’s wife was calling the field to see if they could retrieve the family’s belongings, which they left at their seats as they searched for help. 

No answer, they said.

“There was no one that ever showed up to help us,” Wallach said.

When they were finally discharged from the hospital at 1 a.m. Wednesday, Wallach said, he and his son were stranded, unsure of where they were or how to get back to their car. And still, no word from officials at the field. 

“It was scary and confusing and awful and I felt like we were just hung out to dry,” he said. “You don’t see that in Chicago. I would never expect that in Chicago in a million years.”

Johnny was left with a concussion and a birthday gift wasted on a World Series he didn’t even get to see.

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“The best thing about it is, he said, ‘Dad I still had a great time and I forgive the man who hit me,’” Wallach said. “From a little boy, that’s a great lesson for all of us.”

Wallach said he was later contacted by StubHub, which agreed to refund 50 percent of their ticket purchase. He also said the Cubs contacted the family and offered them support and sent Johnny a gift. 

“I think I’m just used to the way Chicago fans act,” Wallach said. “Just kind of shocking.”

A spokesperson for the Indians did later call the family to apologize, Wallach said, and offered them tickets to a game in Cleveland.

The team is expected to hold a press conference with Johnny Wallach at 4 p.m. CT Friday at Wrigley Field, the family says. 

A spokesman for the Cleveland Indians confirmed the team provided the tickets but would not confirm the team's plans for a press conference.

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