Fan dies after fall from Texas Rangers Ballpark stands

VDSF · 2011-07-07T21:47:21-07:00

ARLINGTON, Texas — A fan died Thursday night after falling about 20 feet from the stands behind the left-field scoreboard at Rangers Ballpark while trying to catch a baseball tossed his way, The Dallas Morning News reported. The Texas Rangers confirmed the report after the game and released a statement. "We are deeply saddened that the man who fell has passed away as a result of this tragic accident," Rangers president Nolan Ryan said in the statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family." The fall happened at about 7:30 p.m. CT, after Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton tossed a ball into the stands during the second inning after a foul ball hit by Oakland's Conor Jackson ricocheted into left field. The injured fan “went into full (cardiac) arrest” in an ambulance en route to an area hospital, the Arlington Fire Department said in a statement. He was pronounced dead at 8:26 p.m. CT, less than an hour after the accident. Fan Ronnie Hargis was sitting in the stands next to the victim, who was at the game with his son, according to a report from The Associated Press. "He went straight down," Hargis told AP. "I tried to grab him, but I couldn't. I tried to slow him down a little bit." The Comcast Bay Area broadcast of the game showed a replay of the man's fall, in which he went head first over the left-field railing. Safawna Dunn, who was sitting behind the victim, told AP he looked to have arm injuries and was conscious when taken away by paramedics. ''Josh Hamilton tried to throw (the ball) up to the guy because they were yelling for the ball,'' Dunn told AP. Hamilton and the other Rangers were understandably upset about the fan's death, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. "We spoke to the ballclub," Ryan told the Star-Telegram, "so they understood what had happened, and we spoke to Josh. . . . As any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is." This is the second fan at Rangers Ballpark to fall from the stands in the past 12 months.

Jul 7, 2011 at 9:53 PM

jimrat
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Posts: 23,977

Its in the MLB thread and I will skip watching the guy falling to his death

Jul 7, 2011 at 9:56 PM

TonyStarks
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Posts: 62,877

RIP guy

[ Edited by TonyStarks on Jul 7, 2011 at 10:10 PM ]

Jul 7, 2011 at 9:57 PM

TonyStarks
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Posts: 62,877

Originally posted by jimrat201:
Its in the MLB thread and I will skip watching the guy falling to his death

They joked about it , not knowing the seriousness of it.

''See that splat on the floor? He he heem.''

It's all fun and games.....

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:06 PM

Ninerjohn
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Posts: 67,389

Originally posted by TonyStarks:
RIP guy

Should've let the little kid have it.

Aren't you the caring sensitive one. What a stupid comment to make considering the fan just died.

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:09 PM

TonyStarks
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Posts: 62,877

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
Originally posted by TonyStarks:
RIP guy

Should've let the little kid have it.

Aren't you the caring sensitive one. What a stupid comment to make considering the fan just died.

Ya my bad.

In some stadiums, they have safety nets.

I wonder if they can sue.

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:10 PM

AXEGRINDER
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Posts: 25,679

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:16 PM

skeetskeet
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Posts: 16,507

only took u 39 minutes to post something that had been posted already.

RIP fan.

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:17 PM

TonyStarks
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Posts: 62,877

I hope Josh Hamilton doesn't take this too hard.

He used to be a user , right?

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:18 PM

Harbaugh52
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Posts: 384

RIP

[ Edited by Harbaugh52 on Jul 7, 2011 at 10:35 PM ]

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:18 PM

#10

YungAce
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Posts: 46,920

damn, RIP

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:22 PM

#11

49ersGiantspride
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Posts: 1,963

that sucks RIP

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:35 PM

#12

Harbaugh52
Member
Posts: 384

his son was with him

@townsendradio Fan who fell at Rangers Ballpark is identified as a Brownwood (Texas) Firefighter who was with his son. It just gets worse and worse.

RIP
that little kid is gonna grow up with no father

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:36 PM

#13

OregonDuckNiner
Veteran
Posts: 6,385

I really wish I didn't watch that video...

RIP it really shows you how fragile life can be. It was just another day for that guy who was spending his evening at the ball park... That's f**king horrible.

Jul 7, 2011 at 10:37 PM

#14

TonyStarks
Veteran
Posts: 62,877

Dammn..over a ball. That's crazy.
They really should have had nets.