Posted on 06/07/2015 9:49:25 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A woman is in serious but stable condition Saturday after being struck by a broken bat at Fenway Park Friday evening.
The game between the Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics was delayed while paramedics tended to the patient, according to Comcast SportsNet New England web editor and reporter Jimmy Toscano. She was rushed out of the stands on a stretcher.
The patient, later identified as Tonya Carpenter, was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Police confirmed to necn that she is expected to survive.
"Tonya Carpenter was admitted to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center last night following injury at Fenway Park. She is in serious condition. Tonya’s family and loved ones are grateful to all who have reached out with thoughts and prayers but are requesting privacy at this time as Tonya recovers," her family released in a statement.
Mark Carpenter, the victim's ex-brother-in-law, tells necn he's still shaken by the text he received Saturday morning learning about the incident.
"It's awful. Especially knowing Tonya," he said. "I can't even think, over the past 10 years, her not smiling."
The victim's young son was with her at the time of the accident.
"He's pretty shaken up, from what I gather. He knows what went on and what he saw," said Mark Carpenter.
Sunday, Mark Carpenter set up a GoFundMe page called "Help Tonya-The Long Journey Forward," seeking to raise $120,000 for her. Less than six hours after the page was created, $1,000 had already been raised. Another GoFundMe page, "Tonya's Road to Recovery," was set up by Mickey Markou, hoping to raise at least $30,000.
Sam Rosario was at the game with Carpenter when the incident occurred. He released a statement on his Facebook page:
"Thank you to all the prayers for Tonya Marie C she is a fighter and we'll need all of her friends to pull her threw this accident. Thank you to all that have given her your support. As the long road to recovery begins in front of us, I plan on being there every step of the way for her - with Tonya Marie C."
"It's a scary moment," said manager John Farrell. "An accident like this tonight is certainly disturbing. And like I said, our thoughts and concerns are with her and her family."
A's third baseman Brett Lawrie was batting against Boston starter Wade Miley when the bat splintered, sending the piece of wood into the stands.
Saturday afternoon, the Red Sox issued a statement, reading, "All of us offer our prayers and our thoughts as we wish her a speedy recovery." "You've just got to go back to your faith, and obviously, that's what we're all doing. We're praying," said Mark Carpenter. "That's all you can do is wait and hope."
Fans were understandably shocked by the accident.
"Security guard came down to us and told us exactly what happened - that she got cut in the face, and she had to get rushed to the hospital, they had to bring a team in to clean up the blood that was there," said Rich Penta of Norwood.
"We just saw someone coming out on a stretcher, and it was very upsetting," said Lauren Levine of Needham. "It was really scary."
"You don't think about the danger that you could possibly be in when you're sitting at the game at Fenway," said Emily Hardman of Brookline.
Concerned about a rash of flying broken bats and the danger they posed, Major League Baseball studied the issue in 2008 and implemented a series of changes to bat regulations for the following season.
Multi-piece bat failures are down about 50 percent since the beginning of the 2009 season, MLB spokesman Michael Teevan said.
Though dozens of fans at big league ballparks are struck by foul balls each season, there has been only one fatality, according to baseball researchers - a 14-year-old boy killed by a foul line drive off the bat of Manny Mota at Dodger Stadium in 1970.
Survive, but in what capacity?
Less than $2000 to go to end the FReepathon. Throw $5 at it.
Thanks.
Hoping she makes a full recovery.
I wonder how did they change the bat regulations?
Prayers up for all involved!
I read elsewhere she was lucid after surgery. She lost a lot of blood and was hit in the forehead. I hope the sharp end of the broken bat didn’t put out an eye or anything like that. I expect we’ll see some kind of big settlement for her.
Not likely at all.
If you read the back of a Red Sox ticket (or any MLB ticket for that matter) not only does it warn you specifically about objects leaving the field, by entering the ballpark and sitting down you assume responsibility and indemnify the team against damages.
I don't know about anyone else but when I go to Fenway and sit that close, I watch the game very intently.
It would be wise for the Sox to pony up the money anyway. A creative lawyer can find aw ay around the print on the ticket, and the bad publicity isn’t worth it.
They have screens and nets behind home plate in ballparks. Why not extend the nets down the baselines? And yes, everyone should be watching the game and paying attention.
Unfortunately, what might come of this is that MLB will be forced to rig up additional protective netting around the ballpark, making it tougher to see the game from the good seats. I'm old enough to remember when the netting behind home plate was minimal - you really had to pay attention then and many people actually brought gloves to games. Not to collect a souvenir or to get it autographed - but to protect themselves!
Well, you are right about the baseball team winning these cases. I thought the fact that it was a broken bat and not a ball could make a difference, but this nice little white paper on the topic (baseball and hockey) spells out the recent history quite nicely.
https://www.law.du.edu/documents/sports-and-entertainment-law-journal/issues/05/05-Augustine.pdf
Remember, the NHL had to put in netting around the ends of the rink after a fan was killed by the impact of a hockey puck at a Columbus Blue Jackets home game in 2002.
Perhaps MLB should enclose the entire area where fans sit with high impact resistant Plexiglas. Or make every fan wear batting helmets. That would make it a lot more fun to watch a game. / s /
Spectators getting hit and seriously injured with broken bats or foul balls are a very rare occurrence.
I have my doubts about how well that indemnity statement would hold up in court.
While that may be true, one tragic death (and the gigantic wrongful death lawsuits that will result afterward) will change everything overnight.
Sometimes, you can catch a foul ball in your beer cup. I don't think the ballpark even gives you a free replacement beer for that.
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