Tragedy At Rangers Game

[sonnymax]

There have been injuries to people reaching for a baseball in the past, but this story struck me as being particularly sad:

Texas Rangers fan dies, fell reaching for ball

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP

Fri Jul 8, 7:41 AM EDT

A Texas Rangers fan died after falling about 20 feet onto concrete reaching out for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton during a game.

Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter from Brownwood, died at a hospital Thursday night, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Stone was a lieutenant and had been with the Brownwood Fire Department nearly 18 years, said City Manager Bobby Rountree. Brownwood is about 150 miles southwest of Arlington.

Stone was at the game with his young son, who watched as his dad tumbled over the outfield railing after catching the ball.

Full story

[Dan Gould]

Just a horrible, horrible story, and while the trajedy will effect the family for a long time (and that poor kid, old enough to remember everything that happened when his Dad died), I have to wonder whether the other person who will be deeply effected is Josh Hamilton - a guy who self-medicated with drugs and alcohol, then became clean and sober and cashed in on all of his physical gifts.

How is he handling this? I know I might obsess about the what-ifs - what if he threw it a little harder and more accurately and the guy didn't have to lean out for it? What if he just threw it in a different direction? I don't know how he's reacting to this, maybe he is in a much better place now but I would sincerely hope this doesn't cause any sort of relapse of his drug use/alcohol abuse.

[papsrus]

Terrible accident.

Didn't something similar happen at a Rangers game earlier this year, or was it last year, when a guy fell out of one of the upper decks reaching for a ball?

[Chalupa]

Dan, when I heard this story on the radio this morning my first thought, after the initial shock had worn off, was, "I hope it wasn't Josh Hamilton that threw the ball." I hope the Rangers are looking out for him.

This story also highlights the dangers of some modern ballparks. In order to maximize the fan's sight lines the protective walls/barriers have been lowered in most of the new stadiums. I know at Citizens Bank Park here in Philly I get vertigo every time I sit up near the edge of the upper deck. There is a low 2 1/2 foot high concrete retaining wall and on top of that wall there is 6 to 8 inches of plexiglass. The whole wall comes up to just about knee level. That's all that separates you from falling into the abyss. And the aisles are so fucking narrow that one accidental bump and you could go flying right over the wall. It's a miracle that this hasn't happened before now.

[JSngry]

Didn't something similar happen at a Rangers game earlier this year, or was it last year, when a guy fell out of one of the upper decks reaching for a ball?

Last year. That guy lived and recovered w/o any lasting damage.

This is two nights in a row that fans have been "at risk". Night before last, it was several fans (one a child, it looked like) getting hit by hard fouls because they weren't paying attention. If you're going to sit in the line of fire for gods sake, know what it is that you're sitting in the line of fire of. Baseballs are hard & they travel at high speeds. Go get one right now and tap it lightly on your forehead. It ain't soft, ya' know? Those good seats really are good seats, but please - pay attention!

I'm thinking/hoping that Josh will come out of this ok. The organizational culture certainly appears to be one of mutual support, and this is definitely the time for that. Also as a man of faith, as he proclaims himself to be, this is a time for that faith to be put to use. I'd like to think that his support system in that realm will be there for him as well as the one in the clubhouse.

During Nolan's statement last night, he paused when searching for a word to express the collective feeling about the incident, and he came up with "heavy-hearted".

Yes.

[BERIGAN]

Just terrible...I read this part on ESPN as well...

Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler was in the visitor's bullpen in left-center field, not far from where Stone fell. When Stone was put on a stretcher, Ziegler said, the firefighter told his tenders that his son was "up there by himself" and asked them to check on the boy.

"He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious," Ziegler said. "We assumed he was OK. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."

[JSngry]

It should be noted that, yes, Stone left fully conscious and able. He actually died of a heart attack while on the way to the hospital.

[papsrus]

Just terrible...I read this part on ESPN as well...

Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler was in the visitor's bullpen in left-center field, not far from where Stone fell. When Stone was put on a stretcher, Ziegler said, the firefighter told his tenders that his son was "up there by himself" and asked them to check on the boy.

"He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious," Ziegler said. "We assumed he was OK. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."

I think it was Ziegler who was interviewed on M&M this morning and he sounded like he was having an increasingly tough time keeping it together as he talked about it.

[JSngry]

If anybody cares... http://rangersblog.d...-death-4th.html

Among other things:

A fund for the family is being set up; Hamilton will be given time off to grieve if he requests it, but it's entirely his & Wash's decision, so far, no indication that he won't continue to play; the man's son was able to ride to the hospital with his father, although not in the same vehicle; in addition to a moment of silence before the game tonight, players for both teams plan to wear black armbands in Stone's memory

most ironic of all:

There used to be "a decking material" over the gap in front of the wall where Stone fell, but fans would jump onto that to chase balls, so it was removed for safety reasons.

I'm taking LTB out to the game tomorrow night, still looking forward to it, but... stuff happens, and it ain't always good, even at the ballpark. Everybody, please, be careful and pay attention. It ain't TV.

Edited July 8, 2011 by JSngry

[JSngry]

Rangers will honor late fan with ballpark statue

http://www.foxsports...380&feedID=3582

The Texas Rangers will honor firefighter Shannon Stone, who was killed at the park earlier this year, with a bronze statue that should be in place for the 2012 season........The statue, which will also feature Stone's six-year old son Cooper, is tentatively titled Rangers Fans and will likely be on display by the home-plate entrance at Rangers Ballpark......Jenny Stone, Shannon Stone's widow, said in the statement........that the family hoped the statue would be "a reminder of the importance of a family's love -- love of each other, love of spending time together, and love of the game.".....Since Stone's death, the Rangers have made plans to raise all the railings on the front rows of seats at the ballpark to 42 inches. There are also new signs warning against leaning on the rails and a public-service message is played before every game.

Edited August 16, 2011 by JSngry

[Chalupa]

Thanks for posting this.

[papsrus]

Yes, nice gesture by the Rangers.

[JSngry]

Don't want to dwell on this, but it bears mentioning, just because...

$156K for Shannon Stone's family

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Tuesday night's online auction to benefit the Shannon Stone Memorial Fund raised $156,375, FOX Sports Southwest announced Thursday....

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/6977070/156k-raised-texas-rangers-fan-shannon-stone-family

Onward...