High School Baseball Coach Intervenes in Hotel Incident

Kevin Lomon, a former pitcher for the Mets and Braves, is making headlines for his quick thinking during a frightening episode at a hotel in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where he now coaches high school baseball.

Earlier this month, Lomon allegedly confronted a man armed with a knife who approached his team’s hotel. Fortunately, no one was harmed, but the incident resulted in an arrest.

Lomon, who is now 54, stated that he doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I just think I would do it again,” he told a local news outlet. “I think a lot of coaches — or most people I know — would do the same.”

On the evening of August 16, while supervising a group of 13 players, Lomon was notified around 9 p.m. about a dangerous situation unfolding at the place they were staying.

According to police reports, a player spotted the suspect, Christopher Stevens, in the hallway. The man brandished a knife and advanced towards the player, prompting Lomon to step into action.

“It was one of my kids saying that someone just pulled a knife on him,” he recalled. “I’m responsible for 13 high school boys.” Lomon advised his players to return to their rooms and call for police assistance.

The police report detailed that Stevens was found near the elevator holding a knife. Lomon attempted to de-escalate by asking Stevens to put the weapon down, but the man continued to approach. “I had to react,” Lomon explained, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. “I didn’t have much time to think about it.”

When police arrived, they found Lomon and Stevens engaged in a physical struggle. The report indicated that Lomon had struck Stevens multiple times before restraining him on the ground.

Authorities discovered two knives on Stevens, who was subsequently arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and public intoxication, as per court records from Pottawatomie County.

Lomon is now seeking legal representation following the incident. He mentioned, “I think this situation might be at another level where they know I’ll fight for them.”

In his career, Lomon played in 12 Major League games during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, with appearances split between the Mets and the Braves. During his time with the Mets, he posted a 6.75 ERA over 9 1/3 innings, through which he gave up 17 hits and struck out six batters.

Overall, Lomon recorded a career ERA of 5.94 across 16 2/3 innings in the Majors.