In a startling incident at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, a fan found herself on the receiving end of a 110 MPH foul ball off the bat of Bo Bichette over the weekend.
The fan took to social media to share her ordeal.
“Hey @BlueJays I got my face mashed in by a 110mph foul off Bo Bichette’s bat. I didn’t even get the ball. I even stayed till the end of the game. Any way you can hook a girl up?” she posted on X.
The fan attached photos of her sporting a noticeable black eye and some significant swelling on her face.
“I didn’t even get the ball, [the] lady who eventually got the ball that ricocheted off my face wouldn’t give us the ball back and left the game early, with the section chanting ‘give her the ball,'” she added on X.
One of the most fun and unique elements of attending a professional baseball game is getting to keep any ball that ends up in the crowd.
Many kids (and adults) bring their gloves to the stadium in hopes of pulling in a valuable souvenir.
There are even “professionals” who have home run ball-hunting down to a science and strategically position themselves in the stands to come down with batted balls – especially those of significance.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of baseball-hounds such as Zack Hample – especially when they take balls away from kids…
Regardless, the fact of the matter is virtually any baseball that finds its way into the stands is fair game.
Of course, there’s a flip-side to the whole situation. If you’re not paying attention – or if you’re just unlucky – you could wind up getting nailed by a ball (or bat) that unexpectedly flies your way.
Some notable incidents in recent years include the following…
-Shannon Stone (2011): Shannon Stone, a firefighter and Texas Rangers fan, tragically fell to his death while trying to catch a ball thrown into the stands by outfielder Josh Hamilton during a Rangers game in Arlington in July 2011. The incident prompted discussions about fan safety and raised questions about the height of stadium railings.
-Maureen Oleskiewicz (2013): Maureen Oleskiewicz, a Boston Red Sox fan, was struck and killed by a broken bat during a game at Fenway Park in June 2015. The incident reignited debates about fan safety and whether more protective netting should be installed in stadiums to prevent such accidents.
-Tyler Colvin (2010): Tyler Colvin, an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, was impaled by a broken bat during a game against the Florida Marlins in September 2010. A large piece of the bat flew into the stands and struck Colvin in the chest, puncturing his lung. Fortunately, he recovered from the injury … While he was a player and not a fan, the incident was one of the worst in recent memory.
What are your thoughts on the fan who took the Bichette foul ball off her face?
Should the Blue Jays do something for her?
In the bigger picture, what are your thoughts on fan safety when it comes to these type of situations at the ballpark?
Is it all just part of the game? … Or should more measures be taken in addition to the extended net policies recently put into place???