Fan dies after falling from stands at Rangers game

[catlover79]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...ngers-fanfalls

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer

1 hour, 23 minutes ago

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—A man attending a Texas Rangers game with his young son died after falling out of the stands and about 20 feet to the ground while trying to catch a baseball tossed his way Thursday night, the Rangers and Arlington fire officials said.

Arlington Fire Department officials in a statement that another fan nearby tried unsuccessfully to grab the man to keep him from falling. They said the victim’s son did not fall.

“We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball,” team president Nolan Ryan said. “As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we’re very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”

A very somber Ryan didn’t get into details about the accident or release the man’s name.

Ronnie Hargis was sitting in the stands at Rangers Ballpark next to the victim. The men were talking to each other before the accident.

“He went straight down. I tried to grab him but I couldn’t,” Hargis said. “I tried to slow him down a little bit.”

TV replays showed the man falling head-first and landing behind a 14-foot-high wall supporting a video board for replays and scores. The area where the man fell is out of sight from the field.

It is the second fatal fall at a MLB ballpark this season. In May, a 27-year-old man died after he fell about 20 feet and struck his head on concrete during the seventh inning of a Colorado Rockies game. Witnesses told police that the man had been trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The accident in Texas occurred in the second inning after Oakland’s Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field. Josh Hamilton, the reigning AL MVP, retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands. Replays on Oakland’s television broadcast show the man reaching for the ball and apparently catching it before tumbling.

“We spoke to the ballclub, they understood what has happened and we spoke to Josh,” Ryan said. “I think as any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is.”

The Rangers clubhouse was closed to reporters after the game.

Replays on Oakland’s television broadcast show the man reaching for the ball and apparently catching it before falling.

The visitor’s bullpen at the stadium is in left-center field. Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out the man had died.

“They had him on a stretcher. He said, ‘Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.’ The people who carried him out reassured him. ‘Sir, we’ll get your son, we’ll make sure he’s OK,”’ Ziegler said. “He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he’s not, it’s just tough.”

There was an audible gasp in the stands when the man tumbled over the rail, eerily similar to an accident last July when a man fell about 30 feet from the second-deck of seats down the right-field line while trying to catch a foul ball.

Before the Rangers batted in the second, manager Ron Washington spoke briefly with one of the umpires. Michael Young, who was leading off the inning, could be seen talking to A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki and pointing toward the area where the previous accident happened.

Former president George W. Bush was sitting in the front row with Ryan near the Rangers when the accident happened. Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats.

Ryan said the former president, who used to be the team’s managing general partner and is a frequent visitor to Rangers games, was aware of what was happening.

Hargis’ daughter said the victim’s head was bleeding badly.

Safawna Dunn, who was sitting behind the victim, said he appeared to have injuries to both arms and was conscious when taken away on a stretcher.

“Josh Hamilton tried to throw (the ball) up to the guy because they were yelling for the ball,” Dunn said.

Last July at Rangers Ballpark, a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck of seats at Rangers Ballpark while trying to catch a foul ball. That fan, Tyler Morris, suffered a fractured skull and sprained ankle.

After Morris was hurt last year, he called the incident a “100 percent, total accident that could have happened to anybody.” He said he didn’t blame the Rangers or the ballpark.

Ryan said it was too early to talk the two accidents and what evaluations the team might make about railings at the stadium.

“Tonight, we’re not prepared to speak about anything further than the accident and the tragedy,” Ryan said. “That’s where I’m going to leave it.”

AP freelance writer Ken Sins contributed to this report.

[catlover79]

So, so sad and so eerie. I remember the game last year when the fan fell from the stands - July 6, 2010. The reason why I remember the date was because it was the same day my uncle passed away, and the Indians happened to be the team playing the Rangers. For something like this to happen almost exactly a year to the day in the very same ballpark - ...God rest the poor man and give comfort and strength to his family.

[Schmoopie]

OMG, that's just horrible! How tragic, and although this is terribly sad to happen anywhere, it's eerily close to home for me since Texas is my home state and I've been to The Ballpark In Arlington many times. I don't think anyone was at fault here and it seems to me that if the man knew he would lose his balance or that it was dangerous, he wouldn't have made such an effort to catch the ball. I don't think things like this can really be prevented, so I hope there's no uproar over fan safety. The man was merely trying to get a baseball, probably for his son. My condolences to that man's family and to his son. I guess the only comfort for the son would be knowing that his dad died while trying to do something special for him.

[Dork]

Originally Posted by catlover79

So, so sad and so eerie. I remember the game last year when the fan fell from the stands - July 6, 2010. The reason why I remember the date was because it was the same day my uncle passed away, and the Indians happened to be the team playing the Rangers. For something like this to happen almost exactly a year to the day in the very same ballpark - ...God rest the poor man and give comfort and strength to his family.

Want to know another thing that is eerie? They were both firefighters

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

OMG, that's just horrible! How tragic, and although this is terribly sad to happen anywhere, it's eerily close to home for me since Texas is my home state and I've been to The Ballpark In Arlington many times. I don't think anyone was at fault here and it seems to me that if the man knew he would lose his balance or that it was dangerous, he wouldn't have made such an effort to catch the ball. I don't think things like this can really be prevented, so I hope there's no uproar over fan safety. The man was merely trying to get a baseball, probably for his son. My condolences to that man's family and to his son. I guess the only comfort for the son would be knowing that his dad died while trying to do something special for him.

Yes, I understand that Hamilton is the boy's favorite player. And I would think that to get a ball tossed to you by Hamilton would be even cooler than catching a foul ball or HR hit by Hamilton.

The guy was wearing flip-flops, which meant that he had no footing at all. Just a terrible thing. It's too bad that he went down head first like he did, giving him no time to right himself.

That's about the worst thing that a child could witness. And I think the boy is only about 6 or so.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Dork

Want to know another thing that is eerie? They were both firefighters

I knew the man who died was a fireman, but not the guy who fell last year and survived. That IS eerie!!

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Yes, I understand that Hamilton is the boy's favorite player. And I would think that to get a ball tossed to you by Hamilton would be even cooler than catching a foul ball or HR hit by Hamilton.

The guy was wearing flip-flops, which meant that he had no footing at all. Just a terrible thing. It's too bad that he went down head first like he did, giving him no time to right himself.

That's about the worst thing that a child could witness. And I think the boy is only about 6 or so.

Yes, and the man's last words to the medical personnel were "Please take care of my son". So, so sad.

[Dork]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yes, and the man's last words to the medical personnel were "Please take care of my son". So, so sad.

Awwww

[Janice]

I watched the video, and wish I didn't. He was tall, and the railing was short in front of him, making it easy for him to tumble over. His arms were stretched out to catch the ball. He had nothing to grab onto. I read his son was 10. I hope that's wrong and that he's six, like Tweety said. His memory won't be so keen if he's six. Wishful thinking on my part.

These ballparks have to make their stadiums safer. It should be impossible to fall, land on concrete and die.

It was such a senseless tragedy. God bless him and his loved ones.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Janice

I watched the video, and wish I didn't. He was tall, and the railing was short in front of him, making it easy for him to tumble over. His arms were stretched out to catch the ball. He had nothing to grab onto. I read his son was 10. I hope that's wrong and that he's six, like Tweety said. His memory won't be so keen if he's six. Wishful thinking on my part.

These ballparks have to make their stadiums safer. It should be impossible to fall, land on concrete and die.

It was such a senseless tragedy. God bless him and his loved ones.

This article states that Cooper (the son) is 6 years of age.

Nolan Ryan says fan's widow worried about son


Father and son stopped off to buy a new glove on their way to the game that night. Man, too sad!

I wonder if Josh Hamilton is going to establish some kind of contact with the family, maybe even help them out some financially. I think if he did, it would be something that was just between Hamilton and the family, and obviously not for any publicity.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yes, and the man's last words to the medical personnel were "Please take care of my son". So, so sad.

Yes, that's true. He actually survived the fall, initially. And the only thing on his mind was that his 6 year old was up in the stands "by himself".

[Schmoopie]

I feel so terrible for everyone involved but especially the player who tossed the ball to this fan. At first I thought that the fan was reaching for a random pop fly, but it appears that the player was actually tossing the ball to the man. I saw an interview with him on CNN today and he looked so distraught. I can't even imagine what he must be feeling right now.

[catlover79]

Yes, I imagine Josh Hamilton has to be extremely distraught, as anyone would be in his shoes. The very next night, he hit a foul ball into the stands that struck a fan who then required stitches. Thank God that fan is OK:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...ires-stitches/

The Oakland A's, the opposing team that night, were also shaken up. Here's a quote from one of their relief pitchers...

Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out the man had died.

"They had him on a stretcher. He said, 'Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.' The people who carried him out reassured him. 'Sir, we'll get your son, we'll make sure he's OK,"' Ziegler said. "He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."

[Schmoopie]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yes, I imagine Josh Hamilton has to be extremely distraught, as anyone would be in his shoes. The very next night, he hit a foul ball into the stands that struck a fan who then required stitches. Thank God that fan is OK:

Oh God, that's awful! I can't imagine having to endure something so bad two nights in a row!

[Brad Russ]

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

Oh God, that's awful! I can't imagine having to endure something so bad two nights in a row!

This is so freaking sad. I saw this on the news a few days ago, and it was hard for me to watch. I feel so bad for his son, who witnessed this. This is the type of thing that can traumatize him for life.