Exactly 40 years ago today:
07 August 1982 — Jim Rice, right fielder for the Boston Red Sox, saved a 4 year old boy’s life when the boy was stuck in the head with a foul ball.
The Chicago White Sox were visiting Boston’s Fenway Park. In the bottom of the 4th inning, with the score tied 2-2 and no outs, and Carney Langford on 2nd and Wade Boggs on 1st after back-to-back singles, Reds Sox shortstop Dave Stapleton was at the plate facing White Sox right handed starting pitcher Richard Dotson.
Dave Stapleton fouled a pitch back into the stands. There were no screens or nets protecting the fans back then. The foul ball came screaming in so fast that nobody could react to try and block the ball’s flight. It struck 4 year old Jonathan Keane in the head.
Jim Rice, in the Boston dugout at the time, realized that it would take paramedics precious minutes to get to the boy. He climbed into the stands and carried the boy into the Red Sox dugout for the team’s medical staff to render immediate aid.
By the time Rice arrived, the Red Sox team physician, Dr. Arthur Pappas, who had witnessed the incident, had also made his way to the dugout. Dr. Pappas immediately called Boston Children’s Hospital as their medical team did what they could to aid the child. Within three minutes of Jonathan being struck by the ball, he was placed into an ambulance and en route to the hospital.
Jonathan underwent emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain caused by swelling. Jonathan’s doctors stated that the quick actions taken by Rice resulted in much quicker medical attention being given than if he had to have waited for EMTs in the stands. Rice probably saved his life or at least prevented permanent brain damage.
Jonathan was initially in critical condition and remained in the hospital for five days. He has no memory of that day but has a small scar above his eye as a reminder.
After the game, the press labeled him a hero and when they asked him about the incident, he stated, “If it was your kid, what would you do?”
Rice visited Jonathan in the hospital, and after realizing his family’s financial state, stopped by the business office on his way out and directed them to send all medical bills to him.
Game box score:
Jim Rice carrying Jonathan Keane:
