Community Chat

[cherry]

An unfortunate accident happened at a baseball game, and a foul ball hit   child. It just devastated the ballplayer who  was at bat, and he wants the stadium netted to prevent future injuries

I suspect some fans won't like this ,because ,they won't be able to catch a baseball

I think it is a good idea..I hope the child will be OK ,and the player too. He seems like a fine man

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7087407/Albert-Almora-calls-safety-nets-stadiums-hitting-gi...

[shopperqvc]

Every time a fan gets a bat or a foul ball bounced of some body part, the player's ask for better screening to protect the fans. They have tried for years to get more barriers that the fans can see through,but a 90+ MPH ball or whirling bat can't get through.

Most of the players are Fathers and they are deeply affected when they injure a fan, let alone a child.

Many players have started wearing a face guard to protect themselves from a facial injury, and I suspect more will get on that idea.

But,the fans are told repeatedly to keep an eye on the ball at all times. But, if you watch those in the stands closest to the field, many are taking photos, they are on their phones, they are talking to others, they just aren't paying attention. And that inncludes those who have their small children with them.

The teams should have better barriers, absolutely, but the parents of small children shoud be even more alert than the guy that is there alone.

The teams should be more responsible, yes, but parents also have their duty, too.  A child will not pay close attention to the entire game, Mom and/or Dad have got to.

[cherry]

I wouldn't accuse the father of negligence. A ball traveling that fast ,most likely hits you ,by the time you see it coming

I am sure he  would never have allowed his child to be hit if he could help it.  He would have shielded her with his own body. Any loving  parent would

[CrazyDaisy]

Cannot bubble wrap the world. 

[Carmie]

When I was a young child, I went to a baseball game with my father.  I got hit in the face by a foul ball. The right side of my jaw was black and blue and my cheek and tongue bled.  I think I was knocked out for a while.

Since that time, I won't sit in the stands anymore and I have always been afraid of baseballs and softballs and could never play the game. My instinct is to dart away or duck when up to bat.

My heart goes out to that little girl, her family and the player.

[Cakers3]

This stadium is netted but the father and child were seated beyond.

This is a risk fans are willing to take; all the games we went to all those years-never gave it a second thought.

The leagues are the ones who have asked for stronger netting and to extend it beyond.

I feel sorry for Almora, too.

[FindingMyJoy]

There is netting at the major league basefall fields. However they can't net the entire thing. I think it protects the most common areas around home plate.

I was at a game this weekend. There were several foul balls that flew way over the netted areas. Often the ball was hit so hard it would fly up to the 2nd level of the seating. Many times it then bounced off a wall or railing, then it would fly off in another direction. I'm surprised there aren't more injuries based on the large number of fans and how hard these balls are hit. 

Everyone that goes to a game should be award a ball can come at them at any time. Accidents like this do sadly happen due to the large number of games each season it's going to keep happening. 

[LyndaGee]

I saw this on the news.  The player felt so bad he cried.  Happened a couple of years ago at Yankee Stadium, too.  I often wonder how that child is doing.  The player kept in touch with the family.

[hckynut]

@cherry 

Baseball is not my sport, but I do have an opinion on this topic. Nets were put up years ago around ALL National Hockey League Rinks. Not sure if they are required at ALL rinks where hockey is played and there are seats for spectators.

The ice rink where I skate has netting around the areas where people can be exposed to errant pucks. This netting rule was started after a young girl, think she was 10-12 years old, was struck by an errant puck and severely injured at an NHL game. She was hit in the head, possibly he face, and this was years ago.

Hockey fans that paid very high $$$ for season tickets to watch these games were not happy. They said, and some still say, it obstructs their clear view of the game, and I happen to agree with them. I have seen many adults get hit with errant pucks, and I have even caught a few myself.

The adults I have personally seen get hit were not watching the game. They were busy chatting with the one sitting next to them and pretty much oblivious to the game. Not a smart thing to do when it is a game that has frozen, high speed and very hard rubber pucks flying around. Having played and been a ref in games and been hit many times by pucks, I can attest to the pain and injuries they can cause.

My personal belief is this, as stated at every ice rink at which I have ice skated at a Public Skate : "You skate at your own risk", and these signs are very visible. To me the same should hold true when adults attend any sporting event. It is their choice their got them there and if they are not familiar with the risks involved in their choice of seats, they should know them before they decide to attend.

Nobody stops parents from protected themselves or children at a hockey game. There are plenty of face protectors that can be easily purchased, or even a catching glove, for those paying attention to the puck, to keep from hurting their hand or fingers.

I don't know how often this happens in baseball, but in hockey it is not a regular thing that happens. A lot of pucks may leave the ice surface, but very few go out as a "line drive" that can really injured the person that gets hit. Most harmlessly flip over the glass and are easily garbed by a fan.

I attended, as a fan, at least a couple thousand games as a kid, and as am adult. In all those games I have got hit only once, had my back to the ice during warmups, and puck flipped over the glass, the corner hit the top of my head and cut it open. Put ice on it and held compression to clot the blood, no big deal.

Parents are responsible for their children, not hockey or baseball players. They can do what they feel is necessary to protect themselves and their children from being s victim of an errant baseball or hockey puck.

I saw video of the child, and an adult that got hit. It was sad to see that little child struck by a "line drive". The adult?  Ehhh!

hckynut

[Lipstickdiva]

They did add more netting but these people were sitting just off to the side of where the netting ended.  I cannot imagine the interference to your view watching a game if the entire stadium is netted.  

To blame the father/parent of this child is ludicrous. First of all, no one has any idea if the father was on the phone or distracted in any way.  Second of all, if you have ever been to a game, those balls come so fast, it's impossible to get out of the way of them sometimes.  There are always risks to everything.  If you sit close to the floor at a basketball game, there is a chance you are going to get run over by a player.  Same with football.  At some car racing events, there is a chance a car will wreck and pieces of the car will fly into the stands.  I'm sure at hockey games there is a chance of a puck coming into the stands and hitting people.

Last year a woman died after being hit in the head by a foul ball at Dodger Stadium.