# Baseball fan tasered for running onto the field **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 4, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299 "2010-05-04T17:11:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/81 "2010-05-05T21:02:52Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Have you ever been tackled? What makes you think this is less painful than getting tasered? I haven’t been tackled or tasered. If I had to choose one, I’d definitely take the tackle. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/82 "2010-05-05T21:03:40Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Hundreds (thousands?) of other police or security officers have successfully apprehended goofballs running on playing fields without injury and without tasers, so the taser clearly isn’t the _minimum_ force necessary for these situations.. Successfully apprehended does not mean pain free. It hurts to get tackled, it hurts to get piled on, subdued when struggling. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/83 "2010-05-05T21:05:30Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I haven’t been tackled or tasered. If I had to choose one, I’d definitely take the tackle. I’ve been tackled and I’ve been shocked (not tasered) by electrical devices that spasm a muscle. I’d rather fall from getting zapped than tackled. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/84 "2010-05-05T21:06:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Have you ever been tackled? What makes you think this is less painful than getting tasered? I played rugby during my school days. I’ve been tackled plenty. I’ve never been tasered, but i’ve seen plenty of videos of it. I have also touched an electric fence designed for cattle. Based on that limited knowledge, i can comfortably say that i would far prefer to be tackled than tasered. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/85 "2010-05-05T21:11:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Successfully apprehended does not mean pain free. It hurts to get tackled, it hurts to get piled on, subdued when struggling. No shit. I’m not saying these fools should be handled gently. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/86 "2010-05-06T00:35:06Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > \ > Until you’ve tried to catch, fight, manage, and handcuff a person -10years old and up - without injuring them or you, you don’t know what you’re talking about. > > Tase him, bro. I had my eyes opened to this a little bit when working as a lab tech - after about six months old, if someone doesn’t want their blood taken, you’re not getting it. Humans are surprisingly strong and wriggly. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/87 "2010-05-06T01:55:41Z")
Unless somebody comes in here with cites for injury and death rates from both tasers and getting physically subdued, this is a pointless argument. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/88 "2010-05-06T03:03:07Z")
Question – by running on the field in the middle of a game – wouldn’t he also have been at risk for getting beaned by a ball? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/89 "2010-05-06T03:15:19Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I had my eyes opened to this a little bit when working as a lab tech - after about six months old, if someone doesn’t want their blood taken, you’re not getting it. Humans are surprisingly strong and wriggly. That’s why they invented restraint chairs. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/90 "2010-05-06T03:42:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Question – by running on the field in the middle of a game – wouldn’t he also have been at risk for getting beaned by a ball? The ball is only in play for brief periods of time. The majority of the time the ball is being held and time is called as soon as a fan jumps on the field. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/91 "2010-05-06T03:57:58Z")
[Here’s a list of 351 taser deaths](http://www.amnestyusa.org/uploads/ListOfDeaths.pdf) from June 2001-August 2008. I think it’s safe to say there have been a lot more hard tackles (counting football, rugby, police action, general mayhem) than taser shots in that time, and a lot fewer people killed by them. (Is _that_ really arguable?) Here’s another way to look at it: most people who have been tackled hard are okay with the idea that it will happen again sometime. _Very few_ people who have actually been hit with a taser _ever_ want to do that again. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/92 "2010-05-06T04:36:05Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > They could take a leaf out of Australian cricket player Andrew Symond’s book. Check out what he did to a guy who ran onto the field: > > Note: NSFW, which is the reason that i’ve made it a plain-text link. The person invading the pitch was naked. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA-xNzUFF\_I&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA-xNzUFF_I&feature=related) Running naked towards Symmonds is asking for it. That was a proffesionally well-placed shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/93 "2010-05-06T12:17:54Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Question – by running on the field in the middle of a game – wouldn’t he also have been at risk for getting beaned by a ball? or a 9 volt, in Pittsburgh. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/94 "2010-05-06T13:08:09Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Your answer means you think getting tackled is less severe than being tasered. I challenge that premise. It’s not easy to bring someone down who doesn’t want to go down. There’s a reason why football players wear all that gear. It hurts to get tackled. You are essentially getting your “bell rung” each time. > . Have you ever watched a game of Rugby? How about League or AFL? Have you ever played a contact sport at all? One small guy against a number of larger (supposedly) fit guys is actually pretty easy to subdue unless he is crystal meth crazy. Hell, when I was playing Rugby I would bring down guys 10 - 15 kg heavier than me (as a 12 year old) you will see 115kg 6’5" guys regularly being bought down by 90kg guys in Rugby, in very strictly controlled rules conditions, and injuries from tackles are a very small proportion of the total number of tackles made. If the guards couldn’t bring down a featherweight like this without serious risk to themselves they need to go back to security school and harden up. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/95 "2010-05-06T13:15:57Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ve been tackled and I’ve been shocked (not tasered) by electrical devices that spasm a muscle. I’d rather fall from getting zapped than tackled. How many times in what sorts of situations? Take a look at the Andrew Symonds video, for some of us this is a pretty typical representation of what should happen, and what would happen if the guard was halfway fit. The nitwit on the field in this case was a teeny tiny wimpy 17 year old, if the guards can’t catch him and bring him down, I have to wonder if its a result of some sort of “bubble wrap generation” ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/96 "2010-05-06T13:35:53Z")
The use of the taser was completely disproportionate to the offence. The idea that a streaker or pitch invader should _ipso facto_ be considered a threat to players on the pitch is absurd. Virtually every other nation on Earth manages to handle pitch invaders by tackling them to the ground and escorting them away, yet the American response is to presume he’s a mortal threat and electrocute the guy. [QUOTE=Magiver] I’ve been tackled and I’ve been shocked (not tasered) by electrical devices that spasm a muscle. I’d rather fall from getting zapped than tackled. [/quote] Seriously? I play as a front row in rugby every week and get smashed regularly. I’d prefer that any day to being electrocuted by a device that regularly makes people wet themselves, pass out and potentially induces a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/97 "2010-05-06T13:40:44Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > the American response is to presume he’s a mortal threat and electrocute the guy. No one was _electrocuted_ (at least in the cases under discussion. electrocute [ɪˈlɛktrəˌkjuːt] vb (tr) 1. to kill as a result of an electric shock 2. (Law) US to execute in the electric chair ---
**Author:** ![hankhill911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@hankhill911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hankhill911)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/98 "2010-05-06T13:44:44Z")
Of COURSE this was excessive…it’s just some idiot baseball fan, not a run-of-the-mill street thug ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/99 "2010-05-06T13:49:38Z")
**kayaker** , meet [informal English](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/electrocution), informal English, meet **kayaker**. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299/100 "2010-05-06T13:54:59Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > **kayaker** , meet [informal English](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/electrocution), informal English, meet **kayaker**. > [@](#): > > informal — Denotes spoken or written words that are used primarily in a familiar, or casual, context, where a clear, formal equivalent often exists that is employed in its place in formal contexts. Compare similar tag colloquial. I, for one, was hoping to remain formal. If you want to go all colloquial, that’s fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-fan-tasered-for-running-onto-the-field/538299.md?page=6)