Safety at the Ballpark

[packs]

Having the chance to catch a foul ball is a dream of most people who attend games. It's already impossible to sit closer to the field because every usher wants to see a ticket first no matter how few people are sitting in the stadium at all; it's already impossible to get autographs from players the security staff wants to keep as far away from you as possible; so what is left to enjoy at the stadium as a fan who wants to be closer to the game if you make it so catching foul balls are a thing of the past too?

If you fear for your child's safety at baseball games, don't bring your children to them. That's how simple things can be. But people will never accept that. It's the same circular logic that people employ when discussing having infants on an airplane. The person putting everyone out wants to use their child to get to moral high ground but the root issue is that the person thinks their needs (we want to travel, we have a kid, what can we do? want being the operative word) are more important than everyone else's.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by packs

Having the chance to catch a foul ball is a dream of most people who attend games. It's already impossible to sit closer to the field because every usher wants to see a ticket first no matter how few people are sitting in the stadium at all; it's already impossible to get autographs from players the security staff wants to keep as far away from you as possible; so what is left to enjoy at the stadium as a fan who wants to be closer to the game if you make it so catching foul balls are a thing of the past too?

If you fear for your child's safety at baseball games, don't bring your children to them. That's how simple things can be. But people will never accept that. It's the same circular logic that people employ when discussing having infants on an airplane. The person putting everyone out wants to use their child to get to moral high ground but the root issue is that the person thinks their needs (we want to travel, we have a kid, what can we do? want being the operative word) are more important than everyone else's.

The critical...and I DO mean critical difference is that lot of folks catch foul balls, while very, VERY few catch line drives...not with a glove or their hands anyway.

[packs]

Very few people are injured by foul balls too. I understand it only takes one injury to change a person's life, but that's always been the case. I can't imagine ballparks of the past took safety into consideration during construction like modern parks do but I don't remember being hurt by foul balls being such an issue either.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by packs

Very few people are injured by foul balls too. I understand it only takes one injury to change a person's life, but that's always been the case. I can't imagine ballparks of the past took safety into consideration during construction like modern parks do but I don't remember being hurt by foul balls being such an issue either.

I should have specified 'line-drives' from the beginning.



=

[packs]

I know that a lot has been speculated on by players and fans about the baseballs being "juiced" to create more home runs, which I personally think is probably true. If that is true, then perhaps going back to the old ball that doesn't travel so fast off the bat would curb this issue the same way a net would.

[steve B]

I "caught" a foul ball, first one ever, but at the local minor league park.
Then a week or two later, nearly caught one at Fenway. Both make for more positive and amusing stories.

The foul at the minor league park was a pure accident. The whole family wanted stuff from the concessions, and the park has one stand at the far end of the grandstand that has a really short line. I go, get in line, get our food, and as I'm walking towards the condiment wagon, the batter hits a long foul, and it's coming right towards us. The guy ahead of me by about 10 ft sticks out a hand, and deflects the ball right at me. As I stand there with my tray of drinks hot dogs pretzels... I froze, the ball hits my stomach and falls into the tray.
I barely felt it.

A couple weeks later I'm at Fenway, sort of between home and first, but way back where the back row of roof posts are. Sitting just left and behind one post almost obstructed view but not quite. We had a bunch of Yankee fans behind us, not a bad bunch actually. (Most are pretty good, know their baseball, and acknowledge however grudgingly when the other team does something great)
Again after getting some drinks, I'm sitting there, and a foul gets hit towards us. Fouls hardly ever go that far back. Everyone stands of course, so I stand up holding the drink tray that was on my lap. And the thoughts come very quickly as it appears the ball is headed right for me.
Wow, it's coming all the way back here
Uh oh, My hands are full and the darn drinks cost like $10...
If the ball hits me I might get a second foul in a couple weeks!
But if it's head high that's going to hurt..
It could hit the pole, but if I get hit in the head on a bounce it's still going to hurt.
And I'll probably spill the drinks anyway.
darn, it looks that it IS head high and I still haven't figured out how to free a hand..
DUCK!!!

So I did. I think the ball went back into the Yankee fans, but I'm not sure, and none of them were showing the ball around after.