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Fan falls to his death in Texas, trying to catch ball tossed his way at Texas Rangers game


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Fan falls to his death in Arlington, Texas, trying to catch ball tossed his way at Rangers game

 

NY Daily News/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Friday, July 8th 2011

 

ARLINGTON, Tex. - 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 said 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.

 

"We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball," team president Nolan Ryan said. "As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we're very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

 

A very somber Ryan didn't get into details about the accident or release the man's name.

 

Ronnie Hargis was sitting in the stands at Rangers Ballpark next to the victim. The men were talking to each other before the accident.

 

"He went straight down. I tried to grab him but I couldn't," Hargis said. "I tried to slow him down a little bit."

 

TV replays showed the man falling headfirst and landing behind a 14-foot-high wall supporting a video board for replays and scores. The area where the man fell is out of sight from the field.

 

In the second inning, after Oakland's Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field, Josh Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands. Replays on Oakland's television broadcast show the man reaching for the ball and apparently catching it before tumbling.

 

"We spoke to the ballclub, they understood what has happened and we spoke to Josh," Ryan said. "I think as any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is."

 

The Rangers clubhouse was closed to reporters after the game.

 

Last July at Rangers Ballpark, a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck of seats at Rangers Ballpark while trying to catch a foul ball. That fan, Tyler Morris, suffered a fractured skull and sprained ankle."

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2011/07/07/2011-07-07_texas_rangers_fan_falls_to_his_death_trying_to_catch_ball_tossed_into_stands_in_.html

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I just find this sad. It's not like he was dumb enough to jump (^^^Listen up^^^), it's more that he was like every baseball fan ever and tried to catch a ball. He lost his footing while leaning and like that he's gone. Truly sad on all accounts.

 

Well he was leaning over the edge. Karma got a little to harsh and knocked him over.

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This is indeed sad, but on the other hand, people get way too focused on one thing and they just totally forget about everything else going on around them. It's like they zone out or something. I mean if you're that high up you have to be thinking in the back of your mind that hey I'm 20 stories up and while I want to catch that ball, I also need to be aware of my surroundings.

 

It's like people can't forecast the simple things. Now it's said that we can indeed multitask, but I'm really starting to wonder about that. I think some people really can't and others are just too damn engrossed in what they are doing to care about what's going on around them.

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I saw a brief mention of the incident scrolling on the bottom as I was watchin ESPNews this mornin.... I'll tune into MLB network when I get home...

 

I hope they don't start talkin about puttin mesh netting in front of all the higher decks in these MLB ballparks as a result of this; similar to what they do in NHL arenas to protect flying pucks from hittin fans/onlookers.....

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I hope they don't start talkin about puttin mesh netting in front of all the higher decks in these MLB ballparks as a result of this; similar to what they do in NHL arenas to protect flying pucks from hittin fans/onlookers.....

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they do. People are just too damn careless.

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Um, it's not like he wanted to dive head-first on purpose to get the ball....

 

Uh didnt you see the video? Its all over the news, He dived head first for the ball. And the funny thing is , if he would have let go of the ball instead of clinching on to it he could have grabbed onto the foam barrier that his hand had hit before completely falling.

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Why are people joking about a man who died? It was a freak accident.

 

Freak accident, yeah, but a baseball aint worth losing your life over. Too many people take risks tryna catch a baseball, and there should be a lesson learned from this; the sad thing is it will happen again. Too many people think it wont happen to them or something bad wont happen to them.

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The problem here is that it is completely his fault. Not only that, once he started to fall he still didnt let go of the ball. At the last minute if he would have let go of the ball he definately had the oppurtunity to hold onto the barrier. And whats worse, his kid was there to see it. This guy just wasnt using his brains.

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The problem here is that it is completely his fault. Not only that, once he started to fall he still didnt let go of the ball. At the last minute if he would have let go of the ball he definately had the oppurtunity to hold onto the barrier. And whats worse, his kid was there to see it. This guy just wasnt using his brains.

 

 

intresting point. With that said, it still a freak accident and why be so bitter? And how much is a damn 'offical' MLB ball now?

 

Just a sad event and why the name calling?

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What are you even talking about?

 

Jesus, you're wrong and you're an insensitive jerk. He's leaning when he loses his balance. He's not "diving head first." It was a freak accident, it's not "funny" and Chrissake it doesn't make him a "douche." You just called a dead man who was killed in an accident, an unintentional accident, a "douche." There's not even any way you could reach that analysis. It's not like he did anything bad to anybody to make him a "douche." No, you're just name-calling for the sake of name-calling. I'm really wondering if you're just one of those internet trolls, making racist and outrageous comments just for the sake of inciting others.

 

Stop being a whiney twat, the dude leaned over the rail , probably drunk, watching his legs he didnt even try to keep his own balance, his mindset was like a dog salivating for food. gotta get the ball gotta get the ball...while not keeping his balance and then when he fell head over heels, instead of letting go of the ball and grabbing onto the other padded guard where his hand rested for a moment he just clinched the ball and fell. It was his own fault, he acted like his life depended on getting that ball. Even the other dude next to him knew when to give up and even tried to grab him. People do that dumb crap all the time pushing people out of the way, trampling people to catch a ball.

 

Yes he is a douche, he put his own life in harms way for a ball..Thats a douche in my book.

 

Stop being a overley sensitive bleeding heart. Even the news caster said it, people leaping for from their seats, leaning over railings for DESPERATE persuit of a ball that really is justy worth as much as a regular souveneir. His kid is without a dad now because he just had to have that ball. The kids will remember that forever ... Its called being overly competitve, not knowing when to let the ball go.

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intresting point. With that said, it still a freak accident and why be so bitter? And how much is a damn 'offical' MLB ball now?

 

Just a sad event and why the name calling?

 

Its funny how you edited your post to something completely different after you read what MHV posted. What a two face..

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Now that I just watched the clip, I don't see where it's NOT the fan's fault....

 

Hamilton has ZERO blame for this man's death.... It wouldn't have made a difference if he held onto the ball or not, a 20 foot fall (or w/e it was) is still goin cause significant damage (in this man's case, death).... I doubt he could have held onto that green wall for any length of time, even if he was a firefighter (he still has a baseball glove on)....

 

The discretion is always up to the fan in that situation... when leaning for a ball, you're told that you put all your weight on the ground & on w/e railing (everything from the waist down)... the second the ball's not in your reach, let it go - you never bend.... Lookin at how he fell, look at how limp/weak his attempt was; you can't have nonchalant body control like that.....

 

watch his family sue MLB.....

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Now that I just watched the clip, I don't see where it's NOT the fan's fault....

 

Hamilton has ZERO blame for this man's death.... It wouldn't have made a difference if he held onto the ball or not, a 20 foot fall (or w/e it was) is still goin cause significant damage (in this man's case, death).... I doubt he could have held onto that green wall for any length of time, even if he was a firefighter (he still has a baseball glove on)....

 

watch his family sue MLB.....

 

I think he could have held onto the the green wall if atleast just for a little to change his balance and fall slower and to his feet instead of on his head, he would have still been pretty hurt but prob not dead if he atleast clung to the wall and drop fell instead of head first.. You are totally right about him not keeping his balance and being all limp putting all his weight toards the ball without any effort to keep himself grounded..And he didnt have a glove on at all, he caught the ball with his bare hands, the dude next to him had the glove. He even pushed himself infront of the dude who was sitting down with the glove who would have caught it safely. That guy had something called common sense, thats why he didnt go crazy for teh ball. Firefighter dude was prob drunk to act like that over a ball.

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