Chin credits crew in defusing conflict

During the third inning of the Red Sox-Devil Rays game last night at Fenway Park, a fan approached the visiting bullpen and extended a hand over the fence, saying, "Give me five. You did a great job last night."

"It wasn't just me, though," Steven Chin replied.

Chin, 23, is in his fifth year as a member of the Fenway security staff and has become a reluctant celebrity after helping to defuse a conflict between a fan and Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield Thursday night.

"Everyone is giving me credit for resolving an issue, saying I did a great job," Chin said. "But anyone in Fenway security would have done the same thing. We work as a team, and, I tell you, it was a situation that needed more than one person to resolve.

"All I did was try and intervene between a player and a fan before the situation became a bad one."

A fan interfered with the ball as Sheffield attempted to field a two-run triple by Jason Varitek in the eighth inning of the Sox' 8-5 win. The spectator, identified as Christopher House of Dorchester, made a sweeping motion with his arm, and Sheffield said he was hit in the face. Sheffield shoved House before throwing the ball, then again moved toward the fan as Chin stepped in. Chin, who was stationed in the bullpen, vaulted the fence onto the playing field at the 380-foot sign, then entered the right-field stands between Sheffield and House, who was ejected from the park but not arrested.

Last night, signs were posted informing spectators about interfering with balls in play.

"I wasn't worried," Chin said. "We go through training for things like that. And we work together. How can one guy control so many people? In a situation like that, there were a lot of Yankee fans around.

"I was the first one, but within seconds everyone from security was there to help out."

Sheffield, who met with Major League Baseball security chief Kevin Hallinan before the Yankees' visit to Baltimore yesterday, said he was struck in the mouth. "It ain't nothing you're going to feel the next day," Sheffield said. "It wasn't that hard enough a punch to knock you out or anything.

"Everything happened so fast. You have to look at the tape and pass your own judgment. I can't stand here and try to convince you one way or the other."

Asked whether he would have done anything differently, Sheffield said: "I don't think so, I doubt it."

"We are proud of the response by Red Sox security and Boston police," Red Sox chief operating officer Mike Dee said in a press release. "Their actions were quick and decisive. We respect the restraint and composure shown by [Sheffield]. Together, they helped ensure the incident did not escalate.

"We thank director of security Charlie Cellucci, a veteran of 34 years with the Boston Police Department, and his staff, most notably Steven Chin, the 23-year-old fifth-year Fenway Park security staff member who was the first to respond."