Toddler hit in face by foul ball at New York Yankees game
BRONX, New York — A young New York Yankees fan was injured after being hit by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium Wednesday afternoon.
“She’s doing alright, just uh keep her in your thoughts,” the victim’s father said.
The father of the 2-year-old baby girl hit in the face by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium Wednesday, left the hospital with her older brother.
The little boy was at the game and saw what happened, but is too young to understand how much worse this could have been.
“He’s good. He’s a trooper. He’s happy they hit home runs today. (Does he even know what happened?) He knows she got hit by a baseball,” he said.
“Look out. Oh my goodness,” the game announcer said.
It is the moment that had all of Yankee nation holding their breath.
A 105 mile-an-hour foul ball went off the bat of Todd Frazier and hit the little girl in the face.
Here’s video showing the reaction on the field:
Little girl hit by a line drive at #Yankees game. Todd Frazier looked really shaken up by the incident. Scary moments pic.twitter.com/1vJ5lZmYg4
— MadPicksCrew (@MadpicksCrew) September 20, 2017
As the game was delayed for about four minutes, fans frantically waved for help and players were distraught, some with tears in their eyes.
Frazier, crouched over with his hands over his face.
“I thought of my kids. I have two kids under 3 years old, and I just hope she’s alright,” Frazier said.
The toddler’s grandparents took her to the game.
Her grandmother is breathing a sigh of relief. She said that she’s “doing OK.”
“You could see the concern on everyone in the ballpark,” said Joe Girardi, Yankees Manager. “The players, the umpires, the fans and it’s disturbing when it happens. And it’s hard for a player when it happens.”
The Mets extended the netting at CitiField this season.
Major League Baseball issued recommendations for protective netting almost two years ago, encouraging teams to have it in place between the ends of the dugouts closest to home plate.
Councilmember Rafael Espinal has introduced legislation to turn that recommendation into city law to protect fans.
“They shouldn’t be worried about getting injured. That shouldn’t be on the back of their minds,” Councilmember Espinal said. “What they should be worrying about is having a good time with their families, eating a hot dog, watching their favorite players out on the field.”
After Wednesday’s incident several players are now coming out in favor of that netting.
The Yankees said last month they “are seriously exploring extending the netting” for next season.
Leave a Reply