Fan Dies After 20-Foot Fall

[Divinity]

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A firefighter has been identified as the Texas Rangers fan who died after falling from the stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton.

 

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said Friday the victim was 39-year-old Shannon Stone of Brownwood. City Manager Bobby Rountree says Stone had been a firefighter for nearly 18 years in Brownwood, located 150 miles southwest of Arlington.

 

Stone fell about 20 feet onto concrete Thursday night, tumbling over the left-field railing after catching the ball and falling into an area out of sight from the field as the Rangers faced Oakland. Stone's young son witnessed the fall during the second inning.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=6747510

[ORS]

I read that this morning, and that article has a misleading inaccuracy in it. It says the handrails were raised from 30.5" to 46" after the fall last year. One, handrails are shorter than 46". Guardrails, different name/different function (they are guardrails because they provide fall protection), are 46" high by code. In the picture, you can clearly see there was only a handrail there, not a guardrail. The height of the rail is about belt high on the men standing there.

 

The Rangers were negligent, IMO, for not having a guardrail there.

[suns]

This fall happened 1 year and 1 day after the fall from last year..

[Flynnatic10]

RIP.

[Divinity]

[youtube=Fan Falls]P_3asU-m_2E

 

 

Here's the video of it. Josh Hamilton is really distraught over the whole thing, wasn't his fault at all though.

[boston22407]

Really Sad, I feel bad really bad for the Kid and the Mom

[RedSox_Ruszkowski]

that's awful. imagine the guilt that josh feels. not saying that it was his fault at all, but he might feel that if he never threw the ball to him then it never would have happened. i can only imagine what is going on in his mind. you always hear horror stories of the "what ifs" in sports and you never expect it to happen to you. when i go to a ball game and sit in the lower levels, i see people who aren't even paying attention to the game. that ball comes off teh bat pretty damn fast sometimes! people go to games to escape and to feel some joy. it's awful when something like this happens. my thoughts are with the family.

[Emmz]

[youtube=Fan Falls]P_3asU-m_2E

 

 

Here's the video of it. Josh Hamilton is really distraught over the whole thing, wasn't his fault at all though.

 

Oh my God. RIP, that is so sad to watch.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

What really got me was the little kid yelling "daddy" as he fell. Just so sad.

[Emmz]

Btw it's obviously not Hamilton's fault in any way, but I understand fully how it could take some time to get over that. He not only witnessed the guy fall to his death, but he also made the last interaction with him before he died. That could have some serious psychological effects. I know it would take a long time for me to sleep at night if I interacted with someone moments before they were killed. I become emotionally attached to people very easily, Hamilton might be the same way.

[Dawgma]

That fall almost looks like he helped it happen.. Not thinking it would kill him of course. Maybe to get a little camera time? Sad either way. RIP kid.

[Dawgma]

Oh my God. RIP' date=' that is so sad to watch.[/quote']

 

Good thing you didn't see him it the pavement below. That would have been sad.

Its been said, its not the speed that gets you, its the sudden stop.

[Emmz]

That fall almost looks like he helped it happen.. Not thinking it would kill him of course. Maybe to get a little camera time? Sad either way. RIP kid.

 

Yeah dude, he totally tried to fall 20 feet going head-first in exchange for some camera time.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

That fall almost looks like he helped it happen.. Not thinking it would kill him of course. Maybe to get a little camera time? Sad either way. RIP kid.

 

Wow, just wow.

[Emmz]

Can someone ban this guy already? It's pretty obvious he's here to "troll".

[mattchanged]

Josh Hamilton has to feel bad. Died trying to get the ball for his son

[Monster]

so sad.

rip