Didn't this just happen last year?

otwcards · July 7, 2011 12:36PM

Sadly, a man falls from the stands leaning for a foul ball at the Rangers game in Arlington and died from his injuries...

csmtampa · July 7, 2011 12:41PM

Sure did. What a horrible way to go.

hhmag70 · July 7, 2011 12:41PM

Last year's fall did not result in death.

jeffcbay · July 7, 2011 12:42PM

One year and one day later, this guy falls. Worst part was he was trying to catch a thrown foul ball from Josh Hamilton. He must feel horrible!! ESPN Article

mlbfan2 · July 7, 2011 1:11PM

How terrible. Here is the video.
link

KeepItWarm · July 7, 2011 7:32PM

The story - in words - paints a vivid enough picture for me. I can't imagine wanting to click on a link to watch a video of it happening.

SoFLPhillyFan · July 7, 2011 7:36PM

<< Last year's fall did not result in death. >>

So he came back to finish the job?

nightcrawler · July 7, 2011 7:55PM

I could understand if he was after a Pink Floyd drumstick.

pmcollectour · July 7, 2011 8:31PM

I think the architects of these newer ballparks have to hold some responsibility. Not enough is given to safety.

I know baseball stadiums can not be built like the USC Trojans Coliseum, Notre Dame, or Michigan stadium, but you can't have
these small railings, especially with people who are over 6 feet tall, and "may" have some beer in them. Not saying this guy did.

Bigjohn69 · July 7, 2011 9:11PM

yea lets sue the concrete company for making the concrete to hard, thats the ticket,, jees,, accidents happen, just unfortunate someones life was taken,, sad,,, j

Goot · July 7, 2011 9:24PM

I'm not sure why there is a gap between the fence and the seating...seems like they should put some sort of netting there to cover that gap in case someone or something falls.

Probstein123 · July 7, 2011 9:33PM

I just saw the video...awful...tragic....

I used to have season seats to the Flyers before the nets were put in place...

a woman sitting near me got in the head with a puck....went down like a gun shot...

sadly, once teams get sued for multi millions then changes occur....

I have a feeling that once again ( like hockey ) , the lawsuits will lead to widespread changes....

nightcrawler729 · July 7, 2011 9:49PM

It was one year and one day after the last incident.

2010 Accident

wallst32 · July 7, 2011 11:34PM

Tragic incident no doubt, but I'd have to say as someone who's old enough to be aware of your surroundings you have to be a little more responsible. If you play the video link the announcer says "just for a baseball" which were my thoughts exactly.

pmcollectour · July 7, 2011 11:37PM

<< yea lets sue the concrete company for making the concrete to hard, thats the ticket,, jees,, accidents happen, just unfortunate someones life was taken,, sad,,, j >>

Instead, as goot says, let's put a protective netting in that gap, or make the railing higher from the get go so no child had to watch his dad die. Texas raised the railing after that first person fell last year. Now they will probably put a netting there. Should have been done in the first place. Again, the architect failed.

pmcollectour · July 7, 2011 11:40PM

<< Tragic incident no doubt, but I'd have to say as someone who's old enough to be aware of your surroundings you have to be a little more responsible. If you play the video link the announcer says "just for a baseball" which were my thoughts exactly. >>

Sounds irrational to me, in the sense that the guy (who is a firefighter and lives a life of sacrifice and giving) probably was thrilled to get
the ball for his son, and didn't want to let his son down. I think the guy died just trying to make his son happy, not himself.

YogiBerraFan · July 8, 2011 1:21AM

That is horrible

thenavarro · July 8, 2011 1:29AM

I'm at Rangers ballpark quite frequently, and I sit all over the place throughout the stadium. There are some areas that I won't sit when I take my young daughter, and those are in the 200 level (2nd deck) 1st row, and the 300 level (3rd deck), first row. On those rows, there is a high rail at the end of the rows that will keep fans from falling over if they trip or something heading down to their seats, but in front of the seats themselves, the rail is too low in my opinion. If they were to fall, it would be a fall of a distance at least 50% higher than the fan fell last night. I've never really concerned myself with the 1st level, as the potential fall never looked too dangerous, and even in hindsight, I would still sit in those same seats with the rail the same height. I could lean back here in my desk chair and fall in a manner that would kill me, it's just a tragic accident.

I do think the Rangers need to remediate the 2nd and 3rd levels. I was at Opening Day in 1994 (first regular season game in the ballpark) and a fan fell from one level to another level, at that time, they didn't have the high rails at the end of the upper deck seating rows, and they immediately corrected that situation. I don't see a reasonable correction for incidents such as last night though. Sometimes things just happen. My concern with the 2nd and 3rd levels is probably unfounded as well. as there's probably been 40 million people through that park (granted not all were in the 1st rows) and only 3 people have fallen since it's been open.

mlbfan2 · July 8, 2011 2:00AM

<< I don't see a reasonable correction for incidents such as last night though. Sometimes things just happen. My concern with the 2nd and 3rd levels is probably unfounded as well. as there's probably been 40 million people through that park (granted not all were in the 1st rows) and only 3 people have fallen since it's been open. >>

The railing is obviously too low if someone can accidentally fall over it, just by leaning. They will almost certainly make some sort of change to that area. It only took one death for the NHL to add large nets to every arena.

miconelegacy · July 8, 2011 2:13AM

When I heard this on Mike and Mike in the morning, it broke my heart for his family. That railing is way to low. The spectator didn't really try to do anything dangerous, rather the railing's height creates the danger. It needs to be fixed period.

thenavarro · July 8, 2011 2:13AM

<< 

<< I don't see a reasonable correction for incidents such as last night though. Sometimes things just happen. My concern with the 2nd and 3rd levels is probably unfounded as well. as there's probably been 40 million people through that park (granted not all were in the 1st rows) and only 3 people have fallen since it's been open. >>

The railing is obviously too low if someone can accidentally fall over it, just by leaning. They will almost certainly make some sort of change to that area. It only took one death for the NHL to add large nets to every arena. >>

I hear ya, but I still say I don't see a reasonable correction. I don't think it's reasonable to obscure the sight lines because of that one incident, anymore then I think it's reasonable to build a pedestrian overpass across a street because one person in 17 years died crossing that street. In my opinion, and yours might differ, I don't think it was negligent of the Rangers organization to have the rail built to that height in that area of the ballpark.

Mike

divecchia · July 8, 2011 2:34AM

<< 

<< 
I hear ya, but I still say I don't see a reasonable correction. I don't think it's reasonable to obscure the sight lines because of that one incident, anymore then I think it's reasonable to build a pedestrian overpass across a street because one person in 17 years died crossing that street. In my opinion, and yours might differ, I don't think it was negligent of the Rangers organization to have the rail built to that height in that area of the ballpark.

Mike >>

Tragic accident.

I agree with Mike, in that I don't see a reasonable correction either.

Donato

Mickey71 · July 8, 2011 2:35AM

When I viewed the video....the fan did not do an out of control reach or dive. Flat out....that railing is way to low. He actually fell in a slow manner and had time to reach; but again the railing was just way to low. A tragic event that the Rangers will have to answer for. I feel terrible for the family. I didn't really see any panic when it happened. I would have thought people would have been freaking out.

storm888 · July 8, 2011 3:07AM

"... In my opinion, and yours might differ, I don't think it was negligent of the Rangers organization to have the rail built to that height in that area of the ballpark....

/////////////////////////////

Mine differs; so will the court's, even in TX. The insurance gang
will settle BIG and FAST.

MLB needs a Task Force on the ground TODAY at every venue.
They need to make FAST recommendations that far exceed what
seems "reasonable" and those recs must be implemented NOW.

This kind of needless accident is TOTALLY preventable. MLB needs
to act TODAY. The last thing baseball needs is parents deciding
that WATCHING a game in person is too dangerous.

Hamilton must be devastated, but hopefully he will turn the tragedy
into some good by supporting IMMEDIATE action at EVERY venue.

After his fan-fatal accident in 1965, Richard Petty became a tireless
advocate of improving fan safety at racing venues. Hamilton could
now do the same for MLB.

thenavarro · July 8, 2011 3:17AM

<< When I viewed the video....the fan did not do an out of control reach or dive. Flat out....that railing is way to low. He actually fell in a slow manner and had time to reach; but again the railing was just way to low. A tragic event that the Rangers will have to answer for. I feel terrible for the family. I didn't really see any panic when it happened. I would have thought people would have been freaking out. >>

According to the media here and to the witnesses, the guy's son yelled out for his dad. They are reporting here that the guy that fell was conscious and coherent enough to instruct the responders that he was there with his son in the stands. They are saying that he had cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and that's what killed him. I'm not smart enough to know if the guy would have had cardiac arrest anyway just sitting in the stands, or whether it was a direct consequence of the fall. Most probably infer that it was from the fall. Could it have been a helluva coincidence? I don't know, any docs in the house? Would an autopsy reveal whether or not he was predisposed to have cardiac arrest and whether it was imminent?

Just trying to learn.

I hope that one day his son and wife and family can find peace. RIP Shannon Stone.

Mike

pmcollectour · July 8, 2011 3:34AM

<< I didn't really see any panic when it happened. I would have thought people would have been freaking out. >>

A 20 foot fall really isn't that high ??? I'm guessing he hit head first ???

onebamafan · July 8, 2011 4:58AM

<< One year and one day later, this guy falls. Worst part was he was trying to catch a thrown foul ball from Josh Hamilton. He must feel horrible!! ESPN Article >>

The worst part is his 6 year old son who witnessed the fall, Hamilton will probably get over it. My prayers go out to that little boy and his family.

wallst32 · July 8, 2011 4:59AM

<< The railing is obviously too low if someone can accidentally fall over it, just by leaning. They will almost certainly make some sort of change to that area. It only took one death for the NHL to add large nets to every arena. >>

I don't know if you can call it an accidental fall when the guy leans over 2 feet out over the rail. The NHL situtation is a lot different where fans would be sitting ducks against high speed objects; same as baseball behind the plate. If you look at the part where it shows the fans standing up you see the top of the railing is about waist high; probably such that it doesn't obstruct the view while seated. I have season tickets to the local NBA team and I can tell you the balcony railings are no higher than that.

Mickey71 · July 8, 2011 7:13AM

I am by no means a doctor; but yes.....a serious fall/head/spinal injury could cause cardiac arrest. The brain/spinal cord controls everything.

stevek · July 8, 2011 10:30AM

I just saw in response to the accident citing his desire for an increase in citizen safety, that King B is calling for the elimination of all automobiles which would save approximately 50,000 lives per year as well as many injuries. Hail to the King.

stevek · July 8, 2011 10:34AM

King B is also cancelling all sporting events, including non-sporting events, in stadiums effective immediately.

stevek · July 8, 2011 11:26AM

First time I've seen the video - the railing looks fine to me. You can go into almost any environment with a "high rise" and if you're careless, then tragedy could result. I've been in high rise buildings going up escalators, with seemingly a more precarious situation than that. High rise motels with a balcony, with a situation like that with a small railing. I've driven on mountain roads in Boulder Colorado with no railing at all, whereby a momentary lapse in concentration and ya could plunge to your death in your car.

In my opinion, the ballpark has no fault, as tragic an incident as it was.

storm888 · July 8, 2011 1:27PM

"In my opinion, the ballpark has no fault, as tragic an incident as it was."

///////////////////////////

One of their "employees" threw the ball to the guy who reached
for it and was killed.

Boopotts · July 8, 2011 1:32PM

<< King B is also cancelling all sporting events, including non-sporting events, in stadiums effective immediately. >>

How nice of you to bring your neanderthal politics into a thread about a man dying at a baseball game. That's just the picture of tact; you should be proud.

thenavarro · July 8, 2011 1:36PM

<< "In my opinion, the ballpark has no fault, as tragic an incident as it was."

///////////////////////////

One of their "employees" threw the ball to the guy who reached
for it and was killed. >>

I'm surprised no one so far has mentioned that they'd like to see Hamilton get prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter.

If this guy's death becomes a lawyer's meal ticket then that in and of itself will be another tragedy IMO

storm888 · July 8, 2011 1:49PM

<< 

<< "In my opinion, the ballpark has no fault, as tragic an incident as it was."

///////////////////////////

One of their "employees" threw the ball to the guy who reached
for it and was killed. >>

I'm surprised no one so far has mentioned that they'd like to see Hamilton get prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter.

If this guy's death becomes a lawyer's meal ticket then that in and of itself will be another tragedy IMO >>

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I like Hamilton and I fully support the continuation of the practice
of tossing balls to fans. I know he feels TERRIBLE about what
happened. He will not be prosecuted, and he SHOULD NOT be.

The matter will be settled quickly with the help of the family's legal
counsel. The lawyer will be paid for his help; just like other trades/
professional workers get paid.

stevek · July 8, 2011 2:03PM

<< 

<< King B is also cancelling all sporting events, including non-sporting events, in stadiums effective immediately. >>

How nice of you to bring your neanderthal politics into a thread about a man dying at a baseball game. That's just the picture of tact; you should be proud. >>

The post was on topic with a sense of humor...oh I forgot, anything other than glorious left wing accolades about your King isn't the "picture of tact" to you...but think it thru...you think that politicians aren't going to get involved in this matter in some sort of Congressional hearing? Of course they will, and it will mean more laws, more lawsuits, more government intrusion in our lives, more cost to the taxpayers...and less liberty and freedom...all in the name of good intentions.

stevek · July 8, 2011 2:09PM

<< "In my opinion, the ballpark has no fault, as tragic an incident as it was."

///////////////////////////

One of their "employees" threw the ball to the guy who reached
for it and was killed. >>

So now we're gonna outlaw any players act of kindness in throwing balls to the fans?...think it thru Storm...could have just as well been a foul ball...as sad as it was, the deceased was careless and responsible for his tragic actions...the ballpark and the player are not to blame...not one bit if I'm on that jury.

thenavarro · July 8, 2011 2:09PM

"The matter will be settled quickly with the help of the family's legal
counsel. The lawyer will be paid for his help; just like other trades/
professional workers get paid"

I have little doubt that the family will attempt to obtain a settlement (after all it has become the norm in America to blame others) and I have little doubt that the Rangers will make an offer rather than fighting a pr nightmare that could end with them paying handsomely because of a sympathetic judge or jury while having to eat their own legal fees if they go against the advice of their insurer. (sorry for the severe run on this portable device is not the most conducive for typing) That's just the culture we live in. Ridiculous, IMO. but it is what it is .

stevek · July 8, 2011 2:16PM

<< "The matter will be settled quickly with the help of the family's legal
counsel. The lawyer will be paid for his help; just like other trades/
professional workers get paid"

I have little doubt that the family will attempt to obtain a settlement (after all it has become the norm in America to blame others) and I have little doubt that the Rangers will make an offer rather than fighting a pr nightmare that could end with them paying handsomely because of a sympathetic judge or jury while having to eat their own legal fees if they go against the advice of their insurer. (sorry for the severe run on this portable device is not the most conducive for typing) That's just the culture we live in. Ridiculous, IMO. but it is what it is . >>

You're exactly right Mike.

jeffcbay · July 8, 2011 2:25PM

Steve... really?

GDM67 · July 8, 2011 5:23PM

<< 

<< King B is also cancelling all sporting events, including non-sporting events, in stadiums effective immediately. >>

How nice of you to bring your neanderthal politics into a thread about a man dying at a baseball game. That's just the picture of tact; you should be proud. >>

Co-sign.

pmcollectour · July 8, 2011 7:34PM

Everyone feels bad about what happened, especially the wife and Josh Hamilton. I can easily see Josh or the Texas Rangers offering $200,000.00 for the boys college, and I wonder if that's enough to satisfy the mother, knowing that she can possibly get upwards of up
to 1 million + with a good lawyer.

mcadams · July 8, 2011 10:11PM

<< The story - in words - paints a vivid enough picture for me. I can't imagine wanting to click on a link to watch a video of it happening. >>

+1 I agree.

Didn't this just happen last year?

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