Althouse: "Josh Hamilton 'Distraught' After Texas Rangers Fan Dies Trying to Catch Ball from Center Fielder."

July 8, 2011

"Josh Hamilton 'Distraught' After Texas Rangers Fan Dies Trying to Catch Ball from Center Fielder."

ABC News report — with video showing the man tumble over the railing as he reaches out.

(At the game and in the video: George and Laura Bush.)

31 comments:

Shouting Thomas said...: Bush did it!

He killed again!; 7/8/11, 7:34 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/8/11, 7:34 AM
gerry said...: A dad's enthusiasm leads to tragedy. So very sad.; 7/8/11, 7:38 AM
Scott M said...: I think you could add up all the fan deaths for an entire years of American baseball/football/hockey/basketball and it wouldn't equal one week of FIFA soccer deaths.

Josh should take heart in that.; 7/8/11, 7:38 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: I don't think the guy was stupid.

Just carried away by the excitement.

I go out on quite a few fall calls as a volunteer EMT.

They are tough calls because the victim, as soon as she/he pulls himself together, will almost always start reassuring the paramedic and the EMT that everything is fine and nothing needs to be done.

Don't believe it. Ever a minor fall can have very serious consequences.

Stabilizing the head and getting a fall victim on the backboard is quite difficult. Three person operation.; 7/8/11, 7:40 AM
Anonymous said...: People die.

Every day.

In every way imaginable and unimagined.

It's part of life.

So, spare us any bleeding heart edicts of death prevention from on high....; 7/8/11, 7:49 AM
Rialby said...: So sad. It just breaks my heart to think of that little boy there alone. Truly awful.; 7/8/11, 7:53 AM
kjbe said...: Oh, how awful - something that should be fun, turns tragic. It's always scared me to see folks go after fouls, like that.; 7/8/11, 7:57 AM
Lucius Septimius said...: I was at a game with my son a couple of weeks ago and saw a couple of people almost do the same thing. It's very easy to get carried away.; 7/8/11, 8:01 AM
traditionalguy said...: I smell lawyers fees.

The Texas Rangers and Josh Hamilton are very deep pockets.; 7/8/11, 8:09 AM
ndspinelli said...: Josh Hamilton has many demons. He is a white knuckled drug/alcoholic. The word is he is devestated by this. How about a few prayers for him. I like being glib and sarccastic, but not now..comedy is tragedy plus time. How about a little time.; 7/8/11, 8:22 AM
Wince said...: If that video scoreboard weren't there, and the gap between the wall not so narrow, I wonder if he could have rolled into the fall without fatal injury.

That's the theory I'd investigate if I were plaintiff's lawyer.; 7/8/11, 8:28 AM
Peter said...: FYI, news reports are saying that he was alive and talking after the fall, but died of a heart attack in the ambulance.

Presumably the heart attack might be related to the fall, but, it might just be a terrible coincidence.; 7/8/11, 8:34 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Stick With Me: It Won't Hurt You - Promise (Culture)

I haven't killed one person yet - not even by accident.

Considering my life, that's quite the accomplishment!; 7/8/11, 8:39 AM
Leland said...: A lady died opening day at the Ballpark at Arlington. The railings indeed could be a bit higher.; 7/8/11, 8:51 AM
Anonymous said...: The whole situation is awful. My heart goes out to everyone involved.; 7/8/11, 8:53 AM
Robert said...: A catch this guy remembered the rest of his life.; 7/8/11, 9:01 AM
Fred4Pres said...: He wanted that foul ball!; 7/8/11, 9:01 AM
traditionalguy said...: ndspinelli...But Hamilton tossed that ball in the best place to bait the fanatic into lunging over the wall.

This case is a winner. The son deserves more than an apology.

Texas has made negligent design law suits nearly impossible to win, so the best defendant to sue will be innocent Mr. Hamilton.

Baseball should have learned from Nascar and erected screens.; 7/8/11, 9:22 AM
Sal said...: One of those times when all there is to say is "shit happens."; 7/8/11, 9:32 AM
SunnyJ said...: Pitcher in the bullpen reported to have heard father saying, "please look out for my little boy, he's all by himself up there." Same pitcher noted EMT's responding assured the father they would be sure son was safe and taken care of."

Massive full coranary arrest in ambulance...shock of fall, possible clot from brain injury/internal bleed, adrenal rush, stress and/or combo of some or all.

Little boy is what matters now.

People do get carried away in the moment and take risks that just aren't reasonable...but, reasonable is not what adrenaline is all about.; 7/8/11, 10:18 AM
edutcher said...: Surprised the railings are that low in a relatively new park.

They were about knee-high in Connie Mack Stadium and Ebbetts Field, as I recall, but I'd have thought newer ones would be a bit higher.; 7/8/11, 10:32 AM
Carol said...: If I were that guy, lying in the ambulance, I'd be thinking I'm dying because I wanted to catch a fucking ball.

Sorry, I don't get fandom anymore. Too old, I guess.; 7/8/11, 10:40 AM
Fred4Pres said...: That choked me up about his saying that about his son.; 7/8/11, 10:46 AM
Joe said...: I never did get fandom.; 7/8/11, 10:53 AM
Mel said...: So glad I dropped by your blog today after work, all good news, no jobs, grizzly kills a man, baseball fan dies trying to catch a ball. Thank God it's Friday and I don't hold myself to any rules regarding when I can start drinking.; 7/8/11, 3:44 PM
Anonymous said...: IIRC the warnings that MLB puts out (it's on your ticket and they do an announcement a couple of times during the game to be alert for balls and bats) have survived some other tragedies and protected the team, stadium, and players from legal repercussions of injuries to fans. I don't see the Rangers, the Ball Park at Arlington, or Josh Hamilton as being in any real risk of being held financially liable for this man's death. Of course I'm not a lawyer so I understand the concept that sometimes bad things just happen and no one should be held at fault for it.; 7/8/11, 4:22 PM
Jose_K said...: Years ago , an umpire died and the games was played. Margaret Schoot was grilled for that. But they continued the game.
At soccer game people has been stabed ,39 crushed to death in Heysel in match between Liverpool and Juventus, the game continued. 500 burned in Peru for a penalty kick wrongly called and even used as an excuse for a war betwwen Honduras and El Salvador; 7/8/11, 5:33 PM
Scott said...: Ever look at your ticket stub? The act of buying the ticket releases the ball club from virtually any liability if you are maimed or killed at at game. Fractured bat piece puts out your eye? Got a concussion from a foul ball? Tough luck. You can sue but you will lose. You signed your rights away when you bought the ticket.; 7/8/11, 8:39 PM
DerekH06 said...: It is truley sad that america has become so obsessed with money that somebody dies and all everyone can think about is lawsuits against the rangers and josh hamilton. Have some respect you dirtbags.; 7/9/11, 1:47 AM
Anonymous said...: The reports say 'full arrest.' All that means is that his heart stopped beating. Heart attack implies an ischemic event (loss of oxygen leading to muscle death.)

What is likely is that he sustained a sever closed head injury causing his brain to swell. With no way to relieve the pressure the brain compresses the brain stem cutting off all autonomic functions - leading to cardiac arrest.

Sometimes it is better to split your skull wide open - at least then the brain swelling does not lead to excessive pressure within the cranium.; 7/9/11, 11:16 AM