Rangers apologize for trash around statue honoring fan's memory

A statue honoring a fan that died at the Texas Rangers stadium was unveiled in 2012. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

The Texas Rangers apologized for fans leaving trash around a memorial statue for a fan that died during a 2011 game.

The statue is located outside of Globe Life Park and it depicts the late Shannon Stone and his son, Cooper. The statue was littered with beer cans and other trash prior to Monday's season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Stone, who was at the game with his son, died at the stadium in 2011 after falling over a railing when he reached for a ball thrown to him by outfielder Josh Hamilton.

"The Rangers certainly regret and apologize for the trash that accumulated on the Rangers Fans statue at the home plate gate this afternoon," the Rangers said in a statement.

"With thousands of Opening Day fans, many of whom had been tailgating, entering the park in the 30 minutes before game time, large amounts of cans, bottles, and other items that are prohibited in the park, accumulated at all entrances

"Numerous clean up calls came into the maintenance department in this period, and the club utilized a large number of employees to continually remove the vast amount of trash that was accumulating."

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