Chicago Sun-Times - All2020-01-07T20:59:45-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/rss/stream/208208192020-01-07T20:59:45-06:002020-01-08T12:01:36-06:00Toddler’s brain injury from Albert Almora Jr. foul ball is permanent, attorney says
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>In this Wednesday, May 29, 2019, file photo, a young child is carried from the stands after being injured by a foul ball off the bat of Chicago Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, in Houston. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>David J. Phillip/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>HOUSTON — A 2-year-old girl struck by a foul ball during a Chicago Cubs-Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park continues to receive anti-seizure medication seven months after suffering a brain injury that could leave her at risk of seizures for life, an attorney for her family said.</p><p>In a report posted Tuesday, Richard Mithoff told the Houston Chronicle that the child’s brain injury is permanent. “She remains subject to seizures and is on medication and will be, perhaps, for the rest of her life. That may or may not be resolved,” he said.</p><p>Mithoff said doctors have described the effects of the injury to her central nervous system as similar to those of a stroke. The areas of the brain affected include those in which injuries can lead to seizures, loss of sensation and loss of spatial awareness, he said. Other potential effects include periods of unresponsiveness and staring spells, frequent headaches and night terrors, he said.</p><p>Doctors so far have not been able to determine if the child has cognitive deficits because of the skull fracture and brain injury resulting from the May 29 line drive to the back of her head off the bat of Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. “She is able to continue with much of her routine as a girl her age would do, but her parents have to be particularly vigilant — as they are,” Mithoff said.</p><p>No legal action has been started, and Mithoff declined to comment on any conversations he may have had with Astros officials. However, he has advised them that he represents the family of the child, whose identity has not been released. The Astros have declined comment, citing concerns for the family’s privacy.</p><p>Major League Baseball has announced that for the 2020 season all 30 teams will extend the netting that protects infield grandstands.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/1/7/21056206/albert-almora-foul-ball-girl-permanent-brain-injuryAssociated Press2019-08-07T17:10:46-05:002020-01-08T10:17:48-06:00Illinois Senators push Major League Baseball to create foul ball injury registry durbin, duckworth
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<img class="Image" alt="The White Sox play at Guaranteed Rate Field. | Erin Brown/Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1958803/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F-vss7cgIKpNVxxLspUkj-Qdv51k%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16089866%2Fwhitesox_040518_21_75437813.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4c219b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F-vss7cgIKpNVxxLspUkj-Qdv51k%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x342%3A513x343%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16089866%2Fwhitesox_040518_21_75437813.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<p></p><p>WASHINGTON — If Major League Baseball is not collecting information about foul-ball injuries in ballparks, it should, Illinois Democratic Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth said in a letter to Commissioner Rob Manfred.</p><p>The request came in a letter to Manfred, with the senators pressuring the commissioner to create an injury registry and make it public so game attendees can see for themselves which seats may be risky — and what teams are doing to mitigate the potential for harm.</p><p>MLB keeps track of player injuries at an easy-to-find link at MLB.com but does not offer information to the public about dangerous places to sit in its various stadiums.</p><p>“We are writing to encourage Major League Baseball to collect and report data about fan injuries at MLB baseball stadiums. This will provide a more honest public dialogue and help protect baseball’s biggest (and littlest) fans,” said the Durbin and Duckworth letter, dated Aug. 6.</p><p>The senators noted there is no updated injury data available.</p><p>“We currently rely on media coverage about foul-ball injuries, which can lead to misinformation and confusion,” they said in the letter. “Fans should have more information about injuries. The creation of an injury registry would help provide the public a better understanding of fan injuries at MLB stadiums and help evaluate the voluntary safety measures that many teams are implementing. In addition, we have been told that teams collect data on areas of fan seating, which are more vulnerable to foul balls. Disclosing that information would help inform fans and their families about the safest locations to sit. </p><p> “We appreciate the efforts individual teams have taken so far for the safety of fans. Transparency benefits everyone in making informed decisions and preserves the integrity of the game.”</p><p>Durbin, a longtime consumer advocate, has made the safety netting issue one of his crusades. Durbin and Duckworth launched their netting campaign in a June 27 letter to Manfred urging all the MLB teams to do more to prevent serious injury or death from foul balls.</p><p>In July, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2019/7/10/20689454/extended-netting-to-be-in-place-for-next-white-sox-homestand-at-guaranteed-rate-field" target="_blank" >the White Sox became the first team</a> to install extra protective netting, covering the areas between foul poles at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Cubs have not announced any enhanced protections, though other clubs have.</p><p>On July 9 — on All-Star Game day — Durbin in a four-minute speech on the Senate floor flagged the dangers fans face from foul balls and how they could be avoided with more netting.</p><p>Without it, “there is no way, no way for fans to entirely protect themselves,” Durbin said. He noted the White Sox’ extra efforts: “Let me tip my hat to Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago White Sox, for leading the way in the safety measure,” Durbin said.</p><p>A call to MLB for comment has not been returned.</p><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/2019/8/7/20759436/illinois-senators-push-mlb-to-create-foul-ball-injury-registry-durbin-duckworth-cubs-white-soxLynn Sweet2019-07-10T15:19:22-05:002020-01-08T10:18:07-06:00Extended netting ready and waiting for White Sox’ next homestand
<p>Crews were expected to complete the majority of the installation for additional protective netting Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field that will extend from the ends of each dugout to the foul poles on each side of the field.</p><p>The Sox said the netting will be in place when the team returns to Guaranteed Rate Field on July 22 to host the Marlins. The Sox open play after the All-Star break with a 10-game road trip.</p><p>The netting will be in use for the first time at the Sox’ annual Double Duty Classic, an all-star game for top local high school players July 17.</p><p>The Sox will be the first team to extend netting to the foul poles.</p><p>“We are always focused on the ballpark experience for our fans, and, of course, safety is a big part of that consideration,” Scott Reifert, Sox vice president for communications, said Wednesday. “Research into this step goes back months, but [chairman] Jerry Reinsdorf and [Illinois Sports Facility Authority chairman] Manny Sanchez talked about this in mid-June and quickly agreed that extending the protective netting was the right step to take for the ballpark and our team. The game changes, the fan experience constantly changes and we need to evolve, as well.”</p><p>To protect fans from foul balls, every team extended the netting to the end of each dugout before the 2018 season. Going beyond that, however, was left up to each franchise.</p><p>Calls for more fan safety increased after a young girl was struck by a foul ball off the bat of Cubs outfielder Albert Almora on May 29 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. A woman was bloodied and taken to a hospital after being hit by a foul ball off the bat of Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez on June 10 at Guaranteed Rate Field.</p><p>‘‘It keeps people safe; it’s a smart move,’’ Sox All-Star right-hander Lucas Giolito said recently. ‘‘I hate seeing young kids get hit and having to go to the hospital.’’</p><p>Players have long called for more protection. An informal fan poll Wednesday and Thursday on Twitter showed 86 percent of more than 1,500 responses favored the measure.</p><p>“How is [netting] bad?” was one reply. “I sat behind the Sox’ dugout last year and never even noticed the netting after about two minutes. And it will cut down the chances of somebody getting killed. The players are in favor of.”</p><p>Fans who object have expressed concerns about sight lines and limited access to players for autographs before games. But fans’ access won’t be closed off, Reifert said.</p><p>“The new design actually opens up the space closer to the dugout, so, yes, there will actually be more room right around the dugout [for autographs],” Reifert said.</p><p>The Pirates, Rangers and -Nationals also have announced they’ll extend their netting.</p><p>The Sun-Times first reported the Sox’ and the ISFA’s plans to extend the netting June 18.</p><p><b>NOTE: </b>Sox probable pitchers for the series at Oakland (Friday through Sunday) and Kansas City (Monday through Thursday): -Friday, <b>Ivan Nova</b>; Saturday, TBA; Sunday, <b>Reynaldo Lopez</b>; Monday, <b>Lucas Giolito</b>; Tuesday, <b>Dylan Cease</b>; Wednesday, Nova; Thursday, TBA. </p><p><b>Dylan Covey</b> (sore shoulder), who is close to completing a minor-league rehab assignment at Class AAA Charlotte, is one possibility on the open days.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2019/7/10/20689454/extended-netting-to-be-in-place-for-next-white-sox-homestand-at-guaranteed-rate-fieldDaryl Van Schouwen2019-06-27T12:00:00-05:002020-01-08T10:17:34-06:00Durbin, Duckworth send letter to commissioner Rob Manfred urging MLB to expand protective netting
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Albert Almora Jr. was visibly distraught when he heard the news that the 2-year-old girl that was hit by his foul ball was sent to the hospital last month. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>After a series of incidents in which fans have been struck by foul balls, ballpark safety has become a key concern. Now, two United States senators representing Illinois are joining the discussion by sending a letter to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred calling for all 30 teams to extend protective netting down the right- and left-field corners.</p><p>The letter — obtained exclusively by the Chicago Sun-Times — comes one day <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/6/26/18760221/houston-girl-cubs-albert-almora-foul-ball-skull-fracture-seizure-lawyers" target="_blank" >after new details emerged</a> on the injuries suffered by a 2-year-old girl who was hit by Cubs outfielder Albert Almora’s foul ball last month in Houston. </p><p>“Cleary, more needs to be done to put the safety of fans first,” Democratic senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth wrote in the letter delivered to Manfred on Thursday.</p><p>With players hitting balls with exit velocities topping off at more than 100 mph, the two senators cited a Bloomberg analysis, which found that nearly 1,800 fans suffer foul ball-related injuries while attending games each season. </p><p>“Extended netting could help prevent many of these injuries,” they wrote.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth sent a joint letter Thursday to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred urging the league to expand its protective nettings from foul pole to foul pole at all 30 ballparks. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Sun-Times Media</p></div></div>
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</div><p>MLB already had mandated netting be extended to the end of dugouts before the 2018 season. The girl in Houston, who is recovering at home after suffering a skull fracture and seizure from the incident, was sitting on the lap of a family member just beyond the netting along the third-base line.</p><p>Last week, the White Sox became the first team to announce it will extend netting to the foul poles. As <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2019/6/18/18683945/white-sox-to-extend-protective-netting-at-guaranteed-rate-field-mlb-cubs-albert-almora-jr" target="_blank" >first reported by the Sun-Times</a>, the Sox said specific details will be announced later but indicated the changes will likely happen this summer.</p><p>Since the Sun-Times report, the Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates have revealed similar plans to extend netting to the right- and left-field corners. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers said they plan to conduct a study before completing a new protective strategy. </p><p>“We appreciate the efforts MLB and individual teams have taken so far for the safety of fans,” Durbin and Duckworth wrote. “However, it is clear the current extended netting is not sufficient to protect fans from serious injury or death. We hope all teams will follow the leadership of the White Sox, Nationals, Dodgers, and Rangers in this matter.”</p><p>Read the full letter below: </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2019/6/27/18761184/dick-durbin-tammy-duckworth-mlb-protective-netting-letter-2019Madeline Kenney2019-06-26T15:02:01-05:002020-01-08T10:03:35-06:00Girl hit in Houston by Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr.’s foul ball suffered skull fracture, seizure: Lawyer
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<img class="Image" alt="Chicago Cubs v Houston Astros" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6947d2a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3948x2216+0+147/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FKDbBI6qiv8gbGr_JaiCL4hxlqeA%3D%2F0x0%3A3948x2510%2F3948x2510%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282172x837%3A2173x838%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16679822%2F1152526175.jpg.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a74ae2e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3948x2216+0+147/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FKDbBI6qiv8gbGr_JaiCL4hxlqeA%3D%2F0x0%3A3948x2510%2F3948x2510%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282172x837%3A2173x838%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16679822%2F1152526175.jpg.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Albert Almora Jr. dropped down to one knee in a game against the Astros last month after he realized his foul ball struck a young fan.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>New details that emerged Wednesday on the injuries suffered by the little girl hit by Albert Almora’s foul ball in Houston last month have heightened the attention on fan safety and extended protective netting at stadiums.</p><p>“It’s going to happen. There’s no question it’s going to happen,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of MLB mandating its ballparks extend netting. “At times situations occur and then we react. Not just this industry, but we has human beings. It’s gonna happen; it’ll become better because of it. But it’s unfortunate.”</p><p>The 2-year-old girl who was struck in the head by Almora’s foul ball on May 29 at Minute Maid Park suffered a skull fracture, and after being rushed to the hospital following the incident suffered a seizure, according to a family news release as well as a letter from the family’s attorney sent to the Houston Astros. It was the public statement from the family since the incident.</p><p>She also suffered subdural bleeding, bruising and swelling of the brain, and spent “several days” at the hospital, according to Houston attorney Richard Mithoff, who also said she has been prescribed anti-seizure medication.</p><p>The girl will be reassessed next month and the family hopes to have more information about the longterm effects of her injuries, Mithoff said.</p><p>Whatever legal ramifications the attorney’s involvement suggests, the incident already raised renewed public outcry for more protective netting at ballparks.</p><p>MLB already had mandated netting be extended to the end of dugouts by 2018 openers. The little girl in Houston was sitting on the lap of a family member just beyond the netting down the third base line, a few rows from the field.</p><p>The White Sox last week became the first team to announce they will extend netting from foul pole to foul pole. As first reported by the Sun-Times, the Sox said specific details will be announced later but indicated the changes will happen this summer.</p><p>Almora, who needed several minutes to compose himself before continuing the game after the foul ball last month, remained emotional long after the game ended – at one point choking up as he said, “Right now I want to put a net around the whole stadium.”</p><p>He later said he hadn’t yet been in contact with the family.</p><p>Almora, who has two small children, chose not to talk to media Wednesday before the game.</p><p>“I can understand why,” Maddon said. “We’re just hoping this little girl gets well quickly. It was a horrible moment; we all felt it, and I know Albert still does feel it.</p><p>“Having children of my own and having grandkids, it’s a real tough thought, man.”</p><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/6/26/18760221/houston-girl-cubs-albert-almora-foul-ball-skull-fracture-seizure-lawyersGordon Wittenmyer2019-05-31T18:55:09-05:002020-01-08T10:04:02-06:00‘I’m OK’: Albert Almora thankful for support in aftermath of foul-ball incident
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Cubs outfielder Albert Almora is comforted by teammate Jason Heyward (left) after a young child was injured by a hard foul ball off Almora’s bat against the Astros on Wednesday night in Houston.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>ST. LOUIS — Outfielder <b>Albert Almora</b> said he still plans to connect with the family of the child who was hospitalized after getting hit by his foul ball Wednesday in Houston. But it will have to wait.</p><p>‘‘Right now the family wants complete privacy, and obviously we’re gonna respect that,’’ Almora said before the Cubs’ game Friday against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. ‘‘When they’re ready . . . I’ll do whatever I can to put a smile on that girl’s face, the family’s face. That’s all I can say about that.’’</p><p>Almora was in the lineup against the Cardinals, but he still seemed to be shaken by the incident, which was punctuated by his distraught, tearful reaction after realizing the girl had been injured by the foul ball.</p><p>‘‘It’s tough to answer these questions because I’m not the one hurt,’’ Almora said. ‘‘People are praying for me and stuff like that, but . . . I’m healthy. My mind’s OK; I’m OK. And it’s thanks to my teammates, thanks to my family. That’s all I can say.’’</p><p>Almora said he ‘‘didn’t move from bed’’ after waking up Thursday ‘‘with endless amounts of text messages from family and friends.’’</p><p>‘‘I had a great support group around me — from my family back home and I can’t speak enough about my teammates,’’ Almora said. ‘‘When I [say] this is a family, that’s what I mean.’’</p><p>As regrettable as the incident and the emotional toll on him was — ‘‘It’s something I don’t wish on my worst enemy,’’ he said — Almora acknowledged it has been a moving and learning experience.</p><p>‘‘As tough as it’s been, it has made me a better person,’’ he said. ‘‘And it has opened my eyes to other things. I never want it to happen again; I wish it wouldn’t have happened. But you take it in stride and move forward, and hopefully all is well and she’s gonna make a full recovery, God willing.</p><p>‘‘But it’s something I’ll never forget, obviously, for the rest of my life. I’m not saying I’m going to try and turn it into a positive. But right now, all I’ve seen . . . is love and people that care, and that means the world to me.’’</p><p><b>Strop return imminent</b></p><p>Reliever <b>Pedro Strop</b> is ready to go after a second strong rehab outing Thursday at Class AAA Iowa. In two one-inning rehab outings, Strop allowed one hit and threw 12 strikes on 13 pitches.</p><p>‘‘He’s doing really well,’’ manager <b>Joe Maddon</b> said. ‘‘I haven’t heard from the office yet regarding the exact due date.’’</p><p><b>CarGo boost?</b></p><p>Maddon was mildly intrigued by the possibility of outfielder <b>Carlos Gonzalez</b> — who recently was signed to a minor-league contract — joining the Cubs, possibly at the start of their homestand Monday.</p><p>‘‘I’m eager to hear how he’s doing,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘He gives us another left-hander to utilize versus a good right-handed pitcher, and that’s it. Haven’t really thought about it much more deeply than that.’’<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/31/18648017/im-ok-almora-thankful-for-support-in-aftermath-of-foul-ball-incidentMark Potash2019-05-31T16:23:14-05:002020-01-08T10:04:11-06:00It shouldn’t take an injured little girl to wake up MLB
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A young child is rushed from the stands after being injured by a hard foul ball off the bat of the Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>If a little girl is crying at a baseball stadium, it should be over a dropped ice cream sundae.</p><p>If a man is terrified at a game, it should have to do with last call being just an inning away.</p><p>If a baseball player is on one knee praying near home plate, it should be for the hit that will trigger the large bonus in his contract.</p><p>Cubs outfielder Albert Almora shouldn’t have been appealing to a higher power that a little girl would get to continue being a little girl. But praying he was Wednesday after a ball that had rocketed off his bat hit a child sitting beyond the third-base dugout at Minute Maid Park in Houston.</p><p>Officials haven’t released the condition of the girl, but spectators who were sitting nearby said she was conscious when a frightened man, possibly her father, grabbed her and sprinted up the ballpark steps in search of medical attention.</p><p>We shouldn’t still be talking about fan safety in 2019. The protective netting Major League Baseball finally made mandatory before the 2018 season (after years of committed foot-dragging) clearly isn’t enough. Netting should be in place from foul pole to foul pole in the lower bowl, not just from the end of each dugout, as it is now. And the netting should be higher.</p><p>When a major-league player steps to the plate, there shouldn’t be a thought in his head that he might hurt a fan in the stands. Not even remotely.</p><p>And parents shouldn’t be concerned that taking their kids to something as seemingly benign as a baseball game might turn into an accident scene. Come on. This is such basic stuff.</p><p>For years, some of us have been urging MLB to wrap ballparks in protective netting. We have been met with silence. Baseball officials historically have been concerned that netting will affect the ‘‘fan experience’’ negatively. Having sat behind the net near the White Sox’ dugout recently, I can tell you that you forget about it by the time the first batter steps to the plate. It’s that unobtrusive.</p><p>The netting is ugly? Too bad. I don’t care if Wrigley Field ends up looking like a burlesque dancer’s fishnet stocking. The safety of the fans, the people who spend the money that pays for the players and the ballparks, is the only thing that matters here.</p><p>Today’s players are hitting baseballs harder than their predecessors did. Whether that’s because they’re naturally stronger, because the balls have been juiced or because of pharmaceutical help, no one is sure. But when a ball leaves a bat at more than 100 mph, it’s a threat to human life.</p><p>Last year, a 79-year-old woman died after being hit in the head by a foul ball at Dodger Stadium. The ball, off the bat of a Padres hitter, flew over the protective netting behind home plate on the first-base side. Four days after the incident, Linda Goldbloom died of ‘‘acute intracranial hemorrhage due to history of blunt force trauma,’’ according to the Los Angeles County coroner. What says, ‘‘Take me out to the ballgame,’’ more than acute intracranial hemorrhage?</p><p>Before teams were required to put up netting from dugout to dugout, about 1,750 people were hurt by foul balls each season at major-league stadiums, according to one study. It sounded like a crime statistic. Yet for decades, courts have sided with teams on the matter of foul-ball injuries. The burden is on the fan, who, by sitting in a seat at a big-league game, implicitly accepts the risk of getting hit by a ball or a bat entering the stands.</p><p>With no real incentive to change (other than shame), MLB has been loath to do anything that might have a negative impact on attendance. You know what should have a negative impact on attendance? A dead woman. An injured little girl.</p><p>But if history is any indication, people will continue to flock to the most dangerous seats along the lines. It’s a matter of ignorance. They want to catch a souvenir, but most of them have no idea how fast a line-drive foul ball can get to them. And most people don’t pay attention every moment of a game. Blinking scoreboards distract them. The hot-dog guy beckons to them. A foul ball doesn’t care about any of that. It just wants to get where it’s going as fast as it can.</p><p>Inside the parks, teams have cute signs that tell fans to be alert for foul balls. They don’t tell them the number of people injured each year by foul balls.</p><p>I’ll bet the adult who brought the little girl to the Cubs-Astros game Wednesday had no idea she’d be anything but safe. If there was no netting where they were sitting, it had to mean they were out of harm’s way, right? According to Statcast, the ball Almora hit traveled 160 feet in 1.2 seconds.</p><p>Don’t tell me about personal responsibility when baseballs are doing a mean imitation of bullets. Tell me when MLB, once and for all, is going to do the right thing.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/31/18647844/it-shouldnt-take-injured-little-girl-to-wake-up-major-league-baseball-chicago-cubs-albert-almoraRick Morrissey2019-05-30T18:04:26-05:002020-01-08T10:04:22-06:00Cubs players react after girl hit by foul ball in Houston
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jason Heyward consoles distraught teammate Albert Almora Jr. after a girl hit by Almora’s foul ball Wednesday night in Houston was taken to the hospital.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>Barely a year after all major-league ballparks were required to comply with mandates to extend protective netting past the dugouts, the horrifying foul-ball incident Wednesday in Houston is raising renewed calls to extend the netting to the foul poles.</p><p>It’s already implemented in Japan’s major leagues, and Major League Baseball stopped short of addressing it in a statement released by the commissioner’s office Thursday.</p><p>“The events at last night’s game were extremely upsetting. We send our best wishes to the child and family involved,” the statement read. “Clubs have significantly expanded netting and their inventory of protected seats in recent years. With last night’s event in mind, we will continue our efforts on this important issue.”</p><p>An MLB spokesman said the league is not prepared to respond further to specific calls for foul-pole-to-foul-pole netting.</p><p>The incident in Houston, in which a 4-year-old girl was hospitalized after being struck by a line drive by the Cubs’ Albert Almora, was one of two similar incidents in the same night. A man was struck in the head by a foul ball hit by the Dodgers’ Alex Verdugo at Dodger Stadium. He appeared to be OK.</p><p>But last August at Dodger Stadium, a 79-year-old woman was struck in the head by a foul ball that cleared the screen behind home plate, and she died of her injuries four days later.</p><p>Players on both teams in Houston were visibly shaken watching the little girl, sitting about 10 feet past the protective screen past third base, get hit by a ball estimated to be traveling in excess of 90 mph.</p><p>Her condition still was not known.</p><p>“Right now, obviously, I want to put a net around the whole stadium,” Almora said, his voice cracking as he spoke after the game.</p><p>Other Cubs players, including Kris Bryant and Jason Heyward, also spoke to media after the game about the need to consider extending the netting to the foul poles.</p><p>“Just for safety, the well-being of people,” said Heyward, who was on deck at the time of the incident and was the first to console the distraught Almora. “People don’t realize how hard it is to react to a baseball. So it would help.</p><p>“But we know we can’t control it. Stadiums know they can’t necessarily control how fast the game is. But if there’s anything to do, I guess that would be it. I’m not the stadium police, but I don’t know any other way to stop that from happening.”</p><p>Until greater precautions are taken, baseball could be playing with fire as it waits to take action while watching balls being hit harder than ever during an era of smart-phone distractions and the slowest pace of play in the sport’s history.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<p>Several incidents of fans being injured by foul balls in 2017 led to extending the lengths of protective netting currently mandated by MLB.</p><p>Baseball might be forced after the dramatic scene in Houston to take further measures.</p><p>“The adjustments they’ve made in the last couple of years obviously have helped a lot with respect to foul balls and balls flying into the stands,” Collin McHugh, the Astros’ union representative, said Wednesday (via </p><p>the Houston Chronicle). “Tonight was hard to watch, hard to see. As a father myself, and we have a lot of parents in this room, our hearts are with the family and with the little girl.</p><p> “Safety is a paramount for us, both for our safety and the safety of the fans and the families that are coming to watch us. It’s obviously up to Major League Baseball to make those adjustments.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/30/18646540/i-dont-know-any-other-way-to-stop-it-from-happeningGordon Wittenmyer2019-05-30T00:02:00-05:002020-01-08T09:55:19-06:00Albert Almora, Jr. foul ball strikes young child, now in hospital
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jason Heyward consoles Albert Almora Jr., who became distraught after hitting a foul ball that struck a young girl during Wednesday night’s game.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>HOUSTON – The game stopped in the flash of time it took a hard foul ball to reach the seats beyond third base.</p><p>Reaction was immediate in the seating area, where a small girl had been hit, fans waving for help from ballpark staff, seconds later a man rushing up the stairs with the crying child clutched to his chest, seeking medical attention.</p><p>Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. watched the flight of his foul ball, took one step toward the scene, then sunk to one knee, distraught, his head in his hand.</p><p>“As soon as I hit it, the first person I locked eyes on was her,” said Almora, who was consoled by teammate Jason Heyward, the on-deck batter, who knelt to put an arm around Almora.</p><p>“I didn’t see it exactly. I heard it though,” said Heyward. “I know that sound. After that you just try to be there for him.”</p><p>Eventually manager Joe Maddon emerged from the dugout, and Almora needed another minute even after rising to his feet, before stepping into the box.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coming off field, Almora talks to fans near seats where child was hit. After hearing description, puts hands on his head, is hugged at length by security guard as Baez, Heyward approach. Appears to be crying into glove as walks to dugout with teammates.</p>— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) <a href="https://twitter.com/GDubCub/status/1133905133161443328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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</div></div><p>He struck out on the next pitch, calling the moment a “blur.”</p><p>The Cubs eventually won 2-1 after losing the first two games against the American League West-leading Astros.</p><p>But the fourth-inning incident cast a pall over much of the night and underscored baseball’s continuing battle with fan safety in an era of smart-phone distractions and balls being struck harder than ever before.</p><p>The young fan’s condition – some social media reports suggested she was 4 – was not immediately known. The Astros released a statement postgame that said only that she was at a nearby hospital.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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</div></div><p>But barely a year after major league baseball mandated protective netting be extended in all ballparks past the dugouts, Wednesday night’s terrifying incident and Almora’s emotional response on a national telecast is sure to raise new calls for even more protections for fans.</p><p>“Right now, obviously, I want to put a net around the whole stadium,” Almora said softly after the game, his voice starting to crack. “I’m sorry. …”</p><p>Almora and teammates were visibly impacted for the next few innings after the incident.</p><p>“Albert is an emotional young man, with children, so that made it even more real to him,” Maddon said. </p><p>“There’s different things you’re thinking about doing, but I know he’s going to be lost in that at-bat, and Jason was impacted by watching the whole thing, too,” Maddon said. “We all were. It’s a human moment. I’m really actually proud of the way he reacted.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Almora in the dugout after the fourth inning.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>Maddon offered Almora a chance to come out of the game after the fourth inning, but after taking a few minutes in the clubhouse to compose himself, he told Maddon he wanted to stay in.</p><p>“I think it would have been worse for me mentally if I would have gone out of the game,” he said. “Unofficial reports, how she was doing, kept me going.”</p><p>Almora got those reports from fans in the seating area after the bottom of the fourth, and from a nearby security guard, who gave him a long hug after he responded with fresh emotions.</p><p>Details were scarce, but some social media accounts from the stadium and at least one news report suggested that the update Almora got from the guard was optimistic under the circumstances and that the emotion, including tears, was less breakdown than release.</p><p>“I just couldn’t hold it anymore,” Almora said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Almora hugged by a security guard after getting an update on the little girl.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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</div><p>After the hug, teammates Javy Baez and Heyward approached and walked Almora back to the dugout, Almora hiding his face in his glove.</p><p>“I know he didn’t mean to stop right there and hug. That’s Albert, man,” Heyward said. “It’s good he let it out. I’m glad he did. That’s hard to deal with.”</p><p>The Cubs didn’t score again in the game after that, and Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks – who was so locked in he said he was in the dugout and missed most of the drama – finished off a big May with a dazzling eight innings to make it stand.</p><p>But the victory was far down the list of thoughts in the clubhouse.</p><p>“Puts life into perspective,” Almora said quietly. “God willing, I’ll be able to have a relationship with this little girl for the rest of my life. Just prayers right now. That’s all I really can control.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/30/18645341/albert-almora-foul-ball-hits-young-fan-hospital-emotionalGordon Wittenmyer