# What happens if a bat injures someone in the stands? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 30, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259 "2013-06-30T13:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/1 "2013-06-30T13:06:25Z")
Yesterday I happened to be watching a baseball game for a few minutes, and had the privilege of seeing a batter lose control of his bat, and the bat flying off into the stands. In this case, things turned out happily–someone actually managed to catch the thing. But I imagine this would usually end in serious injury. Who pays the medical bill in such a case? Is the person who got hit on the hook due to the indemnification on the ticket? Or is the batter, or his team on the hook? Or does someone involved with the game generally step in and pay without being required to, as a PR matter? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/2 "2013-06-30T15:17:09Z")
The person being hit is on the hook; such injuries are considered a known risk for spectators, and courts have consistently ruled in favor of the clubs. Teams will provide medical help on site, but probably won’t pay medical bills. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/3 "2013-06-30T15:26:38Z")
The reverse of an MLB ticket usually has a disclaimer that the spectator is responsible for paying attention and not getting hit by objects coming from the field of play; it’s also clearly announced prior to first pitch, and can be found posted around the stadium. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/4 "2013-07-11T08:06:19Z")
And I can put a sign on my front door saying “Trespassers will be shot on sight.” That doesn’t mean I have the right to shoot them. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/5 "2013-07-11T08:37:12Z")
My sign says “Trespassers will be violated.” It really cuts down on the door to door missionaries. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/6 "2013-07-11T09:47:34Z")
Apart from [contracts of adhesion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_form_contract), and apart from differences between jurisdictions, I think it might revolve around what risks a spectator might be legally thought to assume. Example: At a baseball game, there is a non-zero chance (though very small chance) that the bat will land in the stands during the normal course of play. However, at a cricket game, the only way that the bat hits a spectator is if one of the batsmen deliberately throws it out of the field. If that happens (perhaps because the batsman saw his ex-girlfriend’s lover, threw the bat at him, missed, and hit an innocent bystander), who is liable? Pretty clearly the batsman is – he’s probably guilty of some crime as well – but are the clubs and the promoters of the game? Probably not, because the batsman is not taking a normal action in the game when he throws the bat at a spectator. It’s not a risk that arises from the normal playing of cricket – even if there is a risk that a spectator will be hit by the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/7 "2013-07-11T12:17:14Z")
They should let him take first. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/8 "2013-07-11T12:20:22Z")
That poor bat! I hope somebody was careful with it and released it. They may look a little evil, but they are very useful in keeping down the amount of mosquitoes in an area. What? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/9 "2013-07-11T21:58:54Z")
There is currently a case going forward involving a fan hit by a foul ball in a minor league game, and there was a ticket disclaimer. > **[Should Fans Have Legal Rights During Games? - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper](http://baseballnews.com/should-fans-have-legal-rights-during-games/)** > > Est. reading time: 4 minutes ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-bat-injures-someone-in-the-stands/662259/10 "2013-07-20T02:58:24Z")
The parents of Brittanie Cecil received a $1.2 million settlement after the 14-year-old was killed by a puck deflected into the stands during a Columbus Blue Jackets/Calgary Flames game in 2002. [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2004-04-14-cecil-settlement\_x.htm](http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2004-04-14-cecil-settlement_x.htm)