Has any sports player (mainly baseball and football players… I know all about those golfers!) ever been struck by lightning during a game? If so, is the rest of the game cancelled? Are there officials rules and procedures for such occurrences?
Greetings and felicitations.
Golfers seem to attract lightning more than any other sportsmen, or sportswomen, although I am unaware of any female golfer who has been struck in the electrical manner you describe.
In the 1960’s I recall a UK footballer, a Mr. John White, who was struck by lightning in a manner which proved regrettably fatal to his person, but he was not engaged in a game of football at the time of his demise.
He was of course playing golf, but I cannot say whether his partner chose to continue his round alone.
It is unlikely that his partner would continue. It would be very tedious…hit the ball, drag John, hit the ball drag John.
About ten years ago, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a thunderstorm hit during a high school football game. Lightning struck one of the the a goal posts and traveled the length of the field and struck the other goal post. Most of the players were injured and a handful died.
Since that time sports rules in Colorado dictate that if an electrical stom is immenint, everyone must leave the field until the threat has passed. This has been the case at a number of high school games I have covered and at least two college games.
The same rules exist for prep and college baseball and softball too.
I believe exceptions are made for some professional stadiums because they are grounded better (or something).
I believe that an NFL game in Kansas City was delayed a couple of years ago because of lightning.
A football game between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech was cancelled last year because of lightning in the area. ESPN commentator Lee Corso returned to his rental car to find out that it had been struck by lightning and almost totally destroyed.
I don’t think many people will take a chance with lightning. I was at a Tigers game last year when a severe storm hit the area. I was ordered to go into the walkways away from the seats. Lightning and funnel clouds were all around the area.
It was not a fun drive back to my hotel by the Detroit Airport.
Back in '98 in Congo, there was a semi-confirmed report of a lightning strike at a soccer game, which killed all the members (and only the members) of the home team.
http://archive.sportserver.com/newsroom/ap/oth/1998/oth/soc/feat/archive/102898/soc51776.html
You may need to use Google to get all the details, but I KNOW that Lee Trevino was hit by lightning during a PGA tournament.
Without using at Google I’m fairly sure that Lee Trevino has been struck by lightning twice.
And of course one doesn’t use at Google, one either uses Google or looks at Google.
Lee Trevino was hit by lightning once, at the Western Open outside Chicago in 1975. He suffered a severe back injury as a result.
His quip now about what to do in case of lightning is to hold out a 1-iron above your head because not even God can hit a 1-iron.
I agree with BobT that Trevino was struck once by lightning, and I vow never to return to this thread.
The Hall of Fame game was cut short several years ago because of lightning. I can’t think of any major league in the US having a player struck by lightning in the last several decades–if it was the case, you can be sure they would clear the field (and the stands) much more quickly than they do when storms approach.
The stands were hit at RFK stadium during a concert two years ago–I don’t believe anyone was killed, but one woman had to have CPR performed for quite a while.
Trevino was in a group of three golfers, I believe, and was not in the worst shape. Among others, Retief Goosen, the US Open champion, has been hit by lightning. Spectators were killed by lightning at two US Opens in recent years–one was when Hale Irwin won at Hazeltine in 1991 (I think); I don’t remember the other offhand, but it was within two or three years.
Deportivo Chiquimulilla vs Pueblo Nuovo Vinas, Guatemalan third division, Saturday 11 August 2001: two players dead, 25 injured – match played on (according to some sources).
Basanga vs unknown opponents, Democratic Republic of Congo, October 1998: 11 dead, 30 injured (reportedly).
Jomo Cosmos vs Moroka Swallows, South African premier league, October 1998: several injured – match ended.