When the party gets out of hand | From the editor

After the home team went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning on Opening Day (with former Reds fireballer Aroldis Chapman on the mound, adding insult to injury), my wife and I joined the thousands of people exiting Great American Ball Park. We admired the towering red street clock gifted by Joey Votto on the plaza, noted that the freshly repaired Marty Brenneman statue was looking spiffy, and headed west on Third Street to our car, which was parked at the building that houses The Enquirer. Opinion: Opening Day 2026 became Cincinnati's worst pitch As we walked past the Blind Pig, I mused that a younger version of me would be tempted to keep the party going on the bar’s rooftop patio, which was filled with revelers clad in all manner of Reds gear, soaking up what remained of that picture-perfect spring day.

In hindsight, I’m glad we went home. From celebration to concern Later that night, our breaking news editor sent me a text that made my heart sink. Police were shutting down The Banks after disorderly crowds and pockets of people behaving badly hit a crescendo.

We already had a reporter on the scene, a photographer enroute and reinforcements on the way. I fired up my laptop, joined my colleagues on Teams, and asked myself, "

Is this really happening? On Opening Day?" The reaction on social media was immediate − and familiar. "

This is why we can’t have nice things," someone I As our reporters went to work at the scene, editors combed through videos and witness accounts popping up on social media. Some, including Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober, said large groups of teens were contributing to the mayhem. Reports of assaults and general disorder were reported near Washington Park and other areas in Over-the-Rhine.

When the dust settled, police said 17 people were arrested, most of them adults. It’s natural to look for something − or someone − to blame. Warm weather?

Cincinnati Public Schools on spring break? Alcohol? Weed?

Unsupervised teens? Inadequate police presence? The decline of civilization?

There was no shortage of finger-pointing. Opinion: Police strategy failed at The Banks on Opening Day Ditto for people pointing out the obvious. "

It's an outrage," Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a statement. ”

This is exactly what causes fear and concern among our guests who come to support our urban core." It was less than a year ago that the now-infamous Fourth Street brawl made national headlines, portraying Cincinnati as an out-of-control, hot mess. The fracas came in the wake of an uptick in violence in and around the Central Business District, leading business owners to demand action from City Hall.

Put me first on the list of people who are fed up. And even though it shouldn’t matter, because any day that brings violence is tragic, the fact that chaos erupted on Opening Day − when hope springs eternal in the birthplace of professional baseball − made the sting more painful. That said, let me offer some perspective.

A different downtown reality The first Opening Day I attended was in 1988. I was a student at UC, and my buddies and I camped out to get the tickets. I don’t recall how we got downtown from Clifton, but I distinctly remember our long walk to Riverfront Stadium.

There were a ton of people, but we were spread out around the sterile, concrete plazas leading to the stadium and coliseum complex. There was no Banks. No Holy Grail or Jefferson Social.

The closest bar was blocks away.

In other words, the only reason to be there was to see a baseball game. Fast-forward to today, and the scene is quite different. The 44,000 fans with tickets to the game accounted for less than half of the estimated 100,000 people who came down to party and watch the game at one of the surrounding bars.

We now have a vibrant, happening entertainment district between our two sports stadiums − and the growing pains that go with it. A year to get it right So let’s cut ourselves a little slack. Let’s stop pointing fingers.

Yes, we need to do better, starting with taking personal responsibility for how we act in crowded spaces. Opinion: Report on Police Chief Theetge feels prewritten, not proven Public safety officials need to evaluate their preparations and forge better partnerships in the community. But please, let’s not waste time with convenient scapegoats and red herrings.

The stakeholders − the Reds, business owners, city leaders and law enforcement officials − must work together to preserve the time-honored tradition that is Opening Day in Cincinnati. And they’ve got a whole year to figure it out. Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer.

Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. This week, at the urging of his mother-in-law, he will respond to every email he receives in response to this column.