Davis, Strawberry Welcome Fan Who Can't Avoid Media

Davis, Strawberry Welcome Fan Who Can’t Avoid Media

By CHRIS DUFRESNE

April 14, 1993 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Rodney G. King tried to lose himself in the largest opening-day crowd in Dodger Stadium history, 53,529.

He couldn’t.

He buried his head in a straw hat and covered his eyes with dark glasses, but it didn’t work.

He was discovered.

As a jury deliberated in the federal civil rights case against four Los Angeles police officers accused of beating him, King and 53,528 others tried to break the tension in Los Angeles by taking in a little baseball.

King was, in no uncertain terms, a guest of honor Tuesday. He was seated in Dodger dugout box seats, Aisle 1, Seat CC.

He was flanked at all times by a personal bodyguard.

Dodger outfielders Eric Davis and Darryl Strawberry made those arrangements.

And King sat with one of Davis’ brothers.

“I had to pull a lot of strings,” Davis said.

All was quiet for King in the early innings, but then word leaked out. Soon, television cameras started snooping around King’s seating area. Newspaper reporters too.

King declined interview requests and tried his best to play the part of Joe Average, Dodger fan.

Of course, it was impossible.

Davis, who has known the scrutiny of press coverage, said he could empathize.

“He’ll never have a normal life,” Davis said. “Just like I’ll never have a normal life.”

Strawberry, whose brother Mike is a police officer, said he too feels for King.

“He shouldn’t have to hide,” Strawberry said after the game. “How would you feel after being beaten, then you’re the person that has caused all the problems--at least that’s what the people think. You’d like to see a guy be able to enjoy his life.”

Davis said he met King about three months ago through Ron Jesse, the former Ram wide receiver.

King and Davis have since become friends. Davis grew up in South-Central Los Angeles, an area hit hard by the riots that erupted last April 29 after the acquittal of the four policemen in the state’s King trial.

King has been a guest at Davis’ home. Earlier this spring, again as a guest of Davis, King attended the lone Freeway Series game played at Dodger Stadium.

Davis says he and King don’t talk much about the trial or the impending verdict.

“More than anything, we talk about baseball,” Davis said. “He’s a big baseball fan. But whatever he wants to talk about, I’m here.”

Davis and Strawberry, both of whom grew up in South-Central, are not reluctant to express their feelings about King.

Davis thought inviting King to the home opener would help take his mind off the impending verdict.

“He’s gone through some tough times,” Davis said. “Everybody needs something to do. He said he wanted to come and I said ‘Sure.’ ”

Davis said he hoped baseball would be a distraction for King.

“I don’t know if I could be that strong if I had gone through what he’s been through.”

Although the Dodgers lost, 9-7, Davis did his best to please. He drove in two runs with a groundout and a single, made a spectacular throw after a catch to double Ozzie Smith off first base in the eighth inning and was the lead runner on a double steal in the ninth, getting the potential tying run into scoring position.

Although his team lost, Davis said he hoped baseball would serve as a diversion for the fans, too.

“I don’t think baseball is that important,” Davis said. “But for the people that don’t play baseball, the fans, it’s important to have somewhere to go to just get away, to relieve the tension, the pressure, and not have to worry about what’s going on in everyday life.”

Davis and King did not meet Tuesday, but Davis said he knows what’s going through his head.

“He’s concerned,” Davis said. “He doesn’t want the same thing that happened last year to happen this year.”

Davis said he can take his mind off the King trial when he’s at the ballpark. Away from the game, though, he follows the case closely.

“I become a citizen like everyone else,” he said.

Unlike some people in town, Davis is optimistic about the outcome of the trial.

“I’m positive,” he said. “I don’t think anything’s going to happen. For the city’s (sake), I hope nothing does happen.”