NHL fan death story, eight years later

This from a NY Times article about the Twins' Denard Span, who lined a foul ball into the stands this afternoon and hit his mother. Thankfully, she's OK (at least according to the article, which quotes Span's Twitter page), but here's the quote from Phil Hughes:

I thought it was worth noting since the topic has been brought up on this thread already.

 

He hit his own mother in the stands? Yeesh......

That's right up there with the story about the guy who got hit by a foul ball, then again as they were carrying him out of the stadium on a stretcher.

 

They finally met:

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/12/18/a-day-for-easing-old-hurts.html?sid=101

 

Good story. Really pisses me off in a way, though. Not at any of the principles, but at the ancillary characters. If you're Knutsen's teammate and good friend when you find out the girl has died you convince him to go to that funeral. Same with the front office. He obviously wasn't capable of being rational at that point, but it would have been nice if someone who was capable of it would have got involved and spared him and this family eight years of silence. I had a boss give me a good piece of advice one time: Always go to the funeral.

 

He may not have been emotionally ready to go to the funeral at that point. The batter in the Coolbaugh incident didn't go to Coolbaugh's funeral either, and they knew each other.

 

In its own way, this reminds me of the Mike Wise piece on Donald Brashear, mostly because it's a writer speaking to two sides who haven't communicated. The difference being, Brashear didn't want to communicate with his family, so that never happened.

Either way, while at times a bit overwritten, this was an excellent story.

As far as the Sports Illustrated cover, I think the suggestion of a moment of silence photo would have worked but it's tough to say what deadlines were. Either way, I don't think anyone was trying to sensationalize the story at Sports Illustrated -- it's a fairly muted cover for the most part. But whoever said this is right: it's a fine cover until you remember that the man in the jersey is just a man.

 

There already has been the death of a fan at a baseball game from a foul ball. Dodger Stadium, May 1970. Alan Fish, age 14.

From the Boston Globe:

http://www.majorwager.com/forums/mess-hall/118002-good-article-ticket-demand-high-but-new-fenway-seats-worth-risk.html

 

There was a death earlier this year in an independent professional game in Texas. San Angelo, if I remember right. Young man that hit the ball is an assistant coach at the D-III level in my area. Great guy, and i know it has affected him greatly.

 

I thought of Brittanie's death as well when Natasha Richardson died. Similar thing where she appeared fine right after the initial incident, but took a turn for the worse shortly after and was soon dead. Neither initially showed any symptoms and I actually can't believe there aren't more deaths like that in all sports, whether it's foul balls or a pitcher getting hit by a line drive or a basketball player hitting his head on the court.