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Fan dies from fall at Rangers game (Warning: Video link)

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by printdust, Jul 8, 2011.

  1. ShiptoShore

    ShiptoShore Member

    Very sad.

    What a tough thing for a kid to go through.
     
  2. Simon

    Simon Active Member

    How many deaths have there now been at this ballpark? At least two or three come to my mind for some reason.
     
  3. Smash Williams

    Smash Williams Well-Known Member

    I can think of two other falls but no other deaths off the top of my head...
     
  4. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    The CNN story (with video of the incident)
    http://www.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/07/07/texas.rangers.game.death/index.html?hpt=hp_p1&iref=NS1

    includes this quote:
     
  5. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Have to guess this is the guy:

    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002222034966
     
  6. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    It's hindsight now, but how on earth could that kind of setup gotten past inspectors? A mere railing separating fans (who would either be ball-hawking or drinking usually in that row) from a 14-foot drop to concrete?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  7. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    Inspectors saw the railing and felt it was adequate, just like it would be for any other facility. They don't necessarily take into account people leaning over it to try to catch a homer or tossed ball.

    Players tossing balls to fans is good PR. It's terrible that someone died, but don't ban ball tossing. Put up a damn net or sign saying no leaning against the rail.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  8. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    My wife's an architect and she saw the pic, says that setup is almost certainly completely up to (today's) code.
     
  9. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    Correct. It's also the path from the visiting clubhouse to the bullpen I believe.

    I mentioned this on the other thread, but Blitz and I were at the game with a couple of DFW friends who are in the business. We were sitting down the third base line about 50-75 yards away, but had a clear view of the guy falling. We couldn't see behind the wall, though.

    It looked like a bad fall, but we didn't know he had died until we got back to the hotel room. Going to the game again tonight, and our seats are one section above those the guy fell out of.

    Gonna be weird. But yeah, I'm sure MLB will so "no more throwing balls into the stands" (at least those in the outfield where someone could fall more than a few feet) and I would think there will be some sort of PA announcement to that effect as well.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  10. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    But don't you have to take that into account? Just saying. I think this is different from, say a railing separating an upper deck from a lower section.

    Just a lousy story. I can't imagine how that child must feel.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  11. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    If you count basketball, I think a toddler fell to his death at a Lakers game.
     
  12. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    Picking nits, but the headlines running on the crawls (and, I suppose, the one on this thread) are technically not at all accurate. The man died from a heart attack an hour after the fall.
     
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