Minor league coach died after being hit with line drive

[Uglyowl]

Pretty scary stuff, I am surprised you don't hear about more spectator injuries with the foul balls being lined into the stands.

Pretty sad stuff here...

Coolbaugh Dead at 35

[TheNoodleMan]

It is a very sad thing, but I can't be the only one who snickered when they read that his team was the drillers, can i?

[businessdude]

Yeah, gotta believe he was not paying attention/ was distracted at that distance.

[jmill2511]

I'd feel pretty bad if I was the hitter.

[jmremote]

video?

[stormstarter28]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, gotta believe he was not paying attention/ was distracted at that distance.

[/ QUOTE ]

my friend is an intern for the drillers, and was listening to the game at the time. he called a front office guy who was at the game, and he told him the ball was hit so hard there was virtually no time to react. it sounds impossible, but that's what he said. Apparently he tried to move, but the ball caught him right in the temple. They were giving him CPR on the field and everything, but there was nothing they could do...very sad.

[punkass]

Sad. I am also surprised there aren't more injuries due to line drive fouls in the stands (hell, even fly balls that just land on someone's head).

[reo]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, gotta believe he was not paying attention/ was distracted at that distance.

[/ QUOTE ]

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Sad. I am also surprised there aren't more injuries due to line drive fouls in the stands (hell, even fly balls that just land on someone's head).

[/ QUOTE ]


In 1500+ minor-league games I've seen some people get nailed pretty good in the stands. It can be pretty damn scary.
Players in the dugout typically know to pay attention.
Even if they're chatting with someone about whatever they know to keep a half-eye on the ball because they are so close and a foul can come screaming at them REALLY fast.

The fans sitting practically behind them in the 1st or 2nd row frequently have absolutely ZERO awareness of this.
They are just sitting there gabbing away, drinking, turning and talking to the dude behind them, etc. They have virtually no chance to get out of the way if a foul is hit at them and it's really quite dangerous imo.

When I watch a game from up close I'm pretty much in a position where I can dive one way or another if need be and it just blows me away how many people just act like they're perfectly safe when they absolutely are not.

One game I saw an older woman about 8 rows up on the 3rd base side get blasted right in the jaw with a foul and they took her off on a stretcher. Broke her jaw I believe and also I think a couple teeth knocked out.
She was a season-ticket holder and the team sent her a get-well card and flowers to the hospital which I thought was a nice touch.
After missing one game she was back in the stands the following night to cheer them on again.

[HajiShirazu]

If this guy had taken steroids he'd still be in the bigs and this never would have happened. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, anti-steroid scum!
But seriously, wow this is terrible. Maybe the base coaches should wear helmets.