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7 year old fan in serious condition after getting hit by foul ball at Cubs game
Michigan
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in Sports Talk
A sad story.
Dominic DiAngi woke up early, put on his Aramis Ramirez jersey and Cubs ballcap, and asked his father all morning Thursday how many hours were left before they would be sitting in the stands at Wrigley Field. It was his first baseball game, though he'd been a fan of the game forever, as far as a 7-year-old is concerned.
Peter DiAngi got his sons to the ballpark early, in time to snap pictures in front of the marquee, find seats behind the Cubs dugout and buy popcorn and soda for boys so short they squatted on their seats to see over the grown-ups in front of them. Which might have been how Dominic got so badly hurt.
The foul ball seemed to come straight toward them, faster than Peter DiAngi has ever seen a baseball move. The frozen rope off Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly's bat in the bottom of the second inning was a few feet away when DiAngi saw it, much too late. He never saw it hit Dominic's head, but can't erase the image of the boy falling limp.
"It was something I'll never forget, the speed of that ball coming in and the face of my son looking up," Peter DiAngi said Friday. Adrenaline jolted the 44-year-old Frankfort man, thinking "this is bad." He scooped him up and ran, yelling, not knowing if the boy was breathing, blowing air into his mouth anyway.
The boy hit by foul ball at Wrigley Video Dominic was in serious condition and still unconscious Friday in Children's Memorial Hospital, where he is recovering from a fractured skull and swelling around his brain. His doctors and family expect him to live, and are thinking now about how his neurological functioning will fare when he comes around.
"We hope he'll make a speedy recovery, and look forward to welcoming him back to Wrigley Field as soon as he's ready," said Cubs spokesman Peter Chase. Lilly, who says he didn't see the foul ball hit the boy, seemed visibly shaken when told about it Thursday.
"We're past the scary life-and-death part," DiAngi said Friday, though he hasn't relaxed yet. "We have to see his reactions. We want to make sure he can focus."
Dominic DiAngi woke up early, put on his Aramis Ramirez jersey and Cubs ballcap, and asked his father all morning Thursday how many hours were left before they would be sitting in the stands at Wrigley Field. It was his first baseball game, though he'd been a fan of the game forever, as far as a 7-year-old is concerned.
Peter DiAngi got his sons to the ballpark early, in time to snap pictures in front of the marquee, find seats behind the Cubs dugout and buy popcorn and soda for boys so short they squatted on their seats to see over the grown-ups in front of them. Which might have been how Dominic got so badly hurt.
The foul ball seemed to come straight toward them, faster than Peter DiAngi has ever seen a baseball move. The frozen rope off Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly's bat in the bottom of the second inning was a few feet away when DiAngi saw it, much too late. He never saw it hit Dominic's head, but can't erase the image of the boy falling limp.
"It was something I'll never forget, the speed of that ball coming in and the face of my son looking up," Peter DiAngi said Friday. Adrenaline jolted the 44-year-old Frankfort man, thinking "this is bad." He scooped him up and ran, yelling, not knowing if the boy was breathing, blowing air into his mouth anyway.
The boy hit by foul ball at Wrigley Video Dominic was in serious condition and still unconscious Friday in Children's Memorial Hospital, where he is recovering from a fractured skull and swelling around his brain. His doctors and family expect him to live, and are thinking now about how his neurological functioning will fare when he comes around.
"We hope he'll make a speedy recovery, and look forward to welcoming him back to Wrigley Field as soon as he's ready," said Cubs spokesman Peter Chase. Lilly, who says he didn't see the foul ball hit the boy, seemed visibly shaken when told about it Thursday.
"We're past the scary life-and-death part," DiAngi said Friday, though he hasn't relaxed yet. "We have to see his reactions. We want to make sure he can focus."
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Let's hope everything turns out for the best.
<< <i>That is awful, lets hope and pray he recovers 100% >>
Indeed
wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're
going to feel all day. "
~Frank Sinatra
<< <i>Just a quick question, and forgive my ignorance, do fans basically sign a waiver when going to a game? Wasn't sure how that would all work. Obviously not looking for a lawsuit but could that happen? thanks! >>
As far as I know, all tickets have a disclaimer/waiver on them with regard to the dangers of objects entering the stands and the disclaimer/waiver states something to the effect that by entering the stadium, the attendee agrees that the club and players cannot be held responsible for any injuries.
A typical exculpatory clause may read something like: WARNING: Holder assumes all risk incidental to the game of baseball whether occurring prior to, during or after the game, including (but not exclusively) the danger of being injured by or in connection with any thrown bat or thrown or batted ball. Holder agrees Major League Baseball, the National League, the teams, their agents and players are not liable for any resulting injuries.
A few years ago, a woman filed suit against the Detroit Tigers for injuries suffered from being hit by a foul ball.
Regardless of any implied or agreed upon disclaimer/waiver, just about anyone can find a lawyer that will take a case in such a matter and I wouldn't be surprised if, in cases resulting in serious or significant injury, that some sort of settlement is reached to avoid a trial and the setting of potential precedence for future cases.
<< <i> That's too bad. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often. >>
As has been said.....me too.
I went to a minor league game here in Lansing. We were sitting down the right field line and more than once in the blink of an eye a foul ball went scorching past us.
For that very reason I took the kiddies and sat up much higher were the danger was less a threat.
Your best bet is to sit behind that nylon netting if you bring kids. It's hard to watch every single pitch and be prepared for that sort of thing.