Foul Balls and How They Need To Be Stopped

By Staff Report
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Updated: August 17, 2019

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The incident that shocked the baseball world, June of this year marked just one of an increasingly concerning group of incidents involving foul balls and fans. Centre fielder for the Chicago Cubs, Albert Almora Jr. was photographed on one knee as the horrified player tried to deal with what had just happened. The player had just witnessed a foul ball that had bounced off his bat, striking a 2-year-old girl in the head, fracturing her skull.

Every player and fan’s nightmare – an accident like this is horrifying as these balls can reach speeds that cause the ball to travel 130 feet within the span of only a second. Now imagine the force that is needed to vault it that far. This is a very unpleasant thought; however, it needs to be addressed as the incidents mount up.

The likelihood of these accidents is growing with each year as players get stronger, seats get put closer to the action, and fans grow more distracted. This game has proven time and again that the more protective netting debate needs to once again be brought up. Is the chance at catching a ball or getting an autograph signed really worth risking another foul ball death like the most recent tragedy of 2018 (the first in nearly 50 years)? Part of the experience is getting to interact with the players, but the debate remains whether or not it’s worth the risk. To see how your favourite team did, check out this casino to find out the results of the game from a safe distance while earning some extra cash.

Legally speaking there is nothing that can be done if an accident were to happen. It truly is a terrible situation and the players are far from heartless. However, due to the signage around the stadiums and on most tickets warning fans to pay attention, there isn’t any liability legally speaking. Ethically-speaking is a whole other matter.

Players and representatives alike have come forward and pleaded for more safety measures. Imagine the guilt that must weigh on these players’ shoulders after accidentally fracturing a child’s skull or blinding a woman in her one eye. These are real incidences that could happen again.

The latest injury was just a couple of days ago on the 4^thof August when a woman attending a Texas Rangers vs Detroit Tigers game at Life Park. The woman was hit with a foul ball. Further information regarding her condition has not been released as yet. This has marked yet another unnecessary incident that should have been prevented.

The question remains, is the risk truly worth it? Many fans need to confront the fact that this could be them at their next baseball game. The real question is, would you prefer there be something stopping that foul ball racing toward you? Or would your last thought be that it was worth it? These are questions that need to be answered by fans and the baseball organisers themselves.