In 1970, a foul ball off the bat of the Dodgers’ Manny Mota killed a 14-year-old boy in Los Angeles. That was the only death from a foul ball in the majors, according to research by Gorman and Weeks.
I assume you’re talking about this article. I further assume that you can provide us with links to back up your assertion (we at the Dope take unsubstantiated claims with at least a grain of salt). I await your answer with bated breath.
Edit: I stand corrected. It appears the OP was talking about this book.
I just want to thank you for correctly spelling “bated”.
He has mastered the spelling of bated.
I know. SO many people get it wrong these days!!
Given the topic, shouldn’t it be “batted”?
Good one…
Geez, a gazillion jokes and nobody bothers to post the column link!
So many parks have put in drastic changes in the seating areas that there is a lot less foul ground territory than there use to be. And with so many of the these added seats near ground level, foul line drives become more of a concern. I would assume that places like Dodger Stadium have had an increase in injuries from this, (not neccessarily deaths) since they put in all those new seats along the baselines. Also, I did not see that netting had been put up to protect them either. One of the advantages of these pricier seats is the increased likelyhood of catching a foul. (No, I have no stats, but just by looking at the setup you have to see where this leads).
I have see several people hit hard by fouls, they are taken away if minor treatment is needed and usually return with new team jackets, hats and other momemtos. If major treatment is needed, you never hear about it.
Anyone else thinks this has changed enough for a new look?
KR
In a spring training game this year, the Twins’ Denard Span hit a foul ball that hit a fan in her chest - his own mother. Surely that deserves a mention here.
There was a link in the second post, but you may have missed it ducking that foul ball.
A Slate piece on the book: Death at the Ballpark: a compendium of all the people who have died at baseball games.
There’ve been two on-field deaths in the majors: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1654577/the_two_deaths_in_baseball_history.html (I’ve seen Chapman’s grave at Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland), and at least one in the minors: Heart of the Game – by S.L. Price | BaseballBookReview.com.
I remember Manny Mota most for pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon in Airplane!: “Pinch hitting for Pedro Borbon, Manny Mota! Mota! Mota!”
My God, that’s a poorly-written article.
Not in baseball, but Brittanie Cecil was killed by a stray puck during a Columbus Blue Jackets --Calgary Flames game.
Later on, Espen Knutsen, who had taken that shot, started a charity in her honor.
Recently writen article about Espen and Brittanie’s family: Brittanies Legacy.