Rangers fan falls to his death........

[WolverineMike]

absolutely horrible:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_KTmv0OmwM"]YouTube - ‪Texas Rangers baseball fan falls to his death‬‏[/ame]

http://news.yahoo.com/fan-dies-falling-stands-rangers-game-031351976.html

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? A man attending a Texas Rangers game with his young son died after falling out of the stands and about 20 feet to the ground while trying to catch a baseball tossed his way Thursday night, the Rangers and Arlington fire officials said.

Arlington Fire Department officials in a statement that another fan nearby tried unsuccessfully to grab the man to keep him from falling. They said the victim's son did not fall.

cont....

 

[jlb1705]

My condolences to his family.

However... That ballpark is apparently a magnet for idiots who don't realize how fucking worthless a souvenir baseball is. It seems like there's at least one person every year in Arlington who takes a 20-foot freefall going for a ball.

Somebody is probably going to say that the railing is too short. Railings aren't just there to hold you back from a fall though. They are also a visual cue to be careful and not act like an idiot in that area.

Even if you're in a spot where there's no risk involved... it's kind of embarrassing the lengths that many people over the age of 14 will go to for a free baseball.

FWIW, I've never caught one myself. I've never left my seat or tried to climb over somebody or something to get near one. Unless I'm trying to catch one that's headed straight for my gourd or for my wife, I just don't see the point.

 

[Mike80]

holy shit....

 

[osucollegebuck]

Thats about as awful as it gets. A father and son enjoying a baseball game and he ends up dying. I would imagine the child won't be a baseball fan for the rest of his life.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

Thats about as awful as it gets. A father and son enjoying a baseball game and he ends up dying. I would imagine the child won't be a baseball fan for the rest of his life.

Or maybe baseball will be the only thing that gets him through. I can imagine the Rangers organization will reach out to him and his family. Awful way to lose your father and at such a young age. Terrible stuff.

 

[Magua]

I read elsewhere that he was a firefighter, and coincidentally the last person to fall to their death in Arlington was also one. What's horrible is how the commentators in that video for Texas are laughing, joking, and making light of the situation. Granted, at that time not knowing the outcome it would be easy to do so - but if you've seen the horrible outcomes of such events in your own ballpark TWICE before (and you're broadcasting to millions of people), I'd like to think you'd be a little more careful with your words and reaction.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I read elsewhere that he was a firefighter, and coincidentally the last person to fall to their death in Arlington was also one. What's horrible is how the commentators in that video for Texas are laughing, joking, and making light of the situation. Granted, at that time not knowing the outcome it would be easy to do so - but if you've seen the horrible outcomes of such events in your own ballpark TWICE before (and you're broadcasting to millions of people), I'd like to think you'd be a little more careful with your words and reaction.

I thought the same thing at first, but in fairness to them it really didn't look like it was all that serious since they couldn't see the whole fall...hell, even the initial reaction of the nearby fans didn't look like shear panic like it would be seeing a guy falling from an upper deck level or something.

 

[Saw31]

Jesus!

 

[BearBuck27]

What's horrible is how the commentators in that video for Texas are laughing, joking, and making light of the situation. Granted, at that time not knowing the outcome it would be easy to do so - but if you've seen the horrible outcomes of such events in your own ballpark TWICE before (and you're broadcasting to millions of people), I'd like to think you'd be a little more careful with your words and reaction.

Fwiw, these appear to be the A's local broadcasters, not the Rangers.

 

[WolverineMike]

My condolences to his family.

However... That ballpark is apparently a magnet for idiots who don't realize how [censored]ing worthless a souvenir baseball is. It seems like there's at least one person every year in Arlington who takes a 20-foot freefall going for a ball.

Somebody is probably going to say that the railing is too short. Railings aren't just there to hold you back from a fall though. They are also a visual cue to be careful and not act like an idiot in that area.

Even if you're in a spot where there's no risk involved... it's kind of embarrassing the lengths that many people over the age of 14 will go to for a free baseball.

FWIW, I've never caught one myself. I've never left my seat or tried to climb over somebody or something to get near one. Unless I'm trying to catch one that's headed straight for my gourd or for my wife, I just don't see the point.

I understand what you're saying about catching a foul ball, but this wasn't a foul ball. Josh Hamilton threw it to them after it went foul. So he was trying to catch a ball that a player was throwing to them.

I'll bet Hamilton feels awful about the situation too.

 

[y0yoyoin]

What's horrible is how the commentators in that video for Texas are laughing, joking, and making light of the situation. Granted, at that time not knowing the outcome it would be easy to do so - but if you've seen the horrible outcomes of such events in your own ballpark TWICE before (and you're broadcasting to millions of people), I'd like to think you'd be a little more careful with your words and reaction.

seriously? if this dude wouldn't of died it would be on the ESPN Not Top 10 TODAY

 

[osucollegebuck]

Or maybe baseball will be the only thing that gets him through. I can imagine the Rangers organization will reach out to him and his family. Awful way to lose your father and at such a young age. Terrible stuff.

Doubtful, something that tragic only faith will sustain you

 

[AKAK]

I'll bet Hamilton feels awful about the situation too.

I can't even imagine..

Hamilton, and you Reds fans know, has been maybe one of the more against the odds stories... really ever... (and I have no dog in the conversion from drug adict to devout christian part, whatever, it works for him and more power to him) but, he's been through a lot, and I hope he comes through this, not his fault, at all...

I'm mostly a "root for the team" guy... but, I really hope Hamilton continues on his career trajectory and can deal with this. And I hope te family of the deceased can... in time... move on.

It's no one's fault, and it's a tragedy, but I think in the short term, the Hamilton and the Rangers, led by Nolan Ryan can make the best of the situation wiht the family.

Best wishes to all of them.

 

[FWBuckeye]

I read elsewhere that he was a firefighter, and coincidentally the last person to fall to their death in Arlington was also one. What's horrible is how the commentators in that video for Texas are laughing, joking, and making light of the situation. Granted, at that time not knowing the outcome it would be easy to do so - but if you've seen the horrible outcomes of such events in your own ballpark TWICE before (and you're broadcasting to millions of people), I'd like to think you'd be a little more careful with your words and reaction.

This is the third fall in the ballpark, but the only death. The previous two were just injured. The last person that fell I believe was, coincidently, a year a day before this recent tragedy. The first person who fell was a woman who fell from the upper deck while taking a picture just after the ballpark opened. The Rangers raised the railing on that part of the stadium after the first incident.

The railing in the part of the stadium where the most recent fan fell actually was higher than what was required. The Rangers actually used to have a platform between the stands and the wall where the out of town scoreboard is where the most recent fan fell, but took it out over concerns that fans would climb onto the railing to catch balls and fall onto the field....

This is just a terrible accident. I feel very badly for the family, but also for Hamilton. He's done a lot to turn his life around and was trying to do something nice for a fan in this situation and it just led to a tragic accident. Sad for everyone involved.

 

[Jaxbuck]

This was bad enough but the part about Hamilton hearing the 6 year old boy screaming for his dad really bothered me.

Like someone else said I just wish the best for everyone. Hamilton almost as much as the little boy.