Who’s Responsible when Bad Things Happen at Baseball Games?

Who’s ultimately to be held responsible when bad things happen at baseball games?

It is easily the most viewed image to emerge from MLB spring training this year – a man, blocking a bat with his forearm mere inches away from the face of a child sitting in the stands at the Braves/Pirates game on Saturday, March 5th. Taken by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review photographer Christopher Horner, the photo set off a debate – once again – about the safety of fans in the stands at baseball games.

This debate isn’€™t new and it isn’t going away anytime soon, especially not after Matthew Santoni of Trib Live broke the news Friday that Wendy Camlin, who has been identified as the woman who was struck in the head by a pitch that hit the netting during the Pirates/Cubs game back on April 20th of last season, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Major League Baseball, and Sports and Exhibition Authority for $35,000 each.

In the case of the young man this spring, identified by KDKA as 9 year-old Landon Cunningham, at Champion Stadium in Orlando, the incident may actually result in action from Major League Baseball. A proposal is currently under review by MLB to increase the amount of netting down first and third base lines, which may have prevented the near miss (and probably a sore forearm from Landon’€™s hero dad, Shaun). But in Camlin’s case, she was already standing behind the protective netting that stretches behind home plate at PNC when she was injured.

Aside from the obvious, these two cases have something in common: as seen in Horner’€™s image, Landon Cunningham is looking down at a phone in his hands, unaware even that the bat that flew out of outfielder Danny Ortiz‘s hands had hurtled at lighting speed toward him and was even near his face. Also clear to anyone watching the April 20th game at PNC was that Camlin’s back was to the field.

I’€™m not here to tear a kid down for being excited that he was at a baseball game and for wanting to text a few pictures to his mom and sister. Nor am I looking to kick a woman, who unquestionably suffered injuries after being struck in the head with a baseball, while she’s down. And I don’t know enough of the facts in Camlin’€™s situation to argue why she should or should not be suing the Pirates. But given these two cases, and the issues they raise, this question must be asked: What amount of personal responsibility does a fan have when attending a baseball game?

According to the ticket every person attending a game at PNC Park presents at the front gate, a lot:

WARNING: The holder assumes all risk and danger incidental to the Event, whether occurring prior to, during or subsequent to the Event, including specifically (but not exclusively), the danger of being injured by thrown or broken bats, thrown or batted balls and objects thrown into the stands for entertainment purposes and agrees that the Pittsburgh Pirates, Major League Baseball, the Participating Clubs, their agents and players and other individuals are not liable for injuries resulting from such cases.

I go to a lot of games at PNC. And I’€™d be lying if I said I watched every second of every one. I’€™m an avid user of social media, so I take a few moments to send out the odd tweet or post a shot of PNC on Instagram. But I try to time that inattentiveness with the play of the game so I’€™m watching when a batter is up or the ball is in play. I have kids, so I’ve spent some time walking up and down the stairs to get various foodstuffs and to make bathroom trips and beer runs (for the husband, not the kids of course!). And upon returning to my seat, I try to time it so I’€™m not squeezing in front of people when action is taking place. I believe it is in my best interest to do so€“ to get my money’s worth from the game, to be courteous to others taking in the game, and to avoid getting hit with the odd ball or bat flying into the stands.

I like my catchers, so we generally sit down close in sections near home plate,€“ sometimes behind the screen, but most times not. At every game I’€™ve ever been to, and at every park I’ve ever been in, foul balls are always hit into the stands. Sometimes they pop up high and drop down slowly. Sometimes, like the line drive that almost took my head off when I was sitting behind the dugout last year, they come in screaming so fast the only thing you have time to do is cover your head with your arms or duck, if you’€™re paying attention.

And if you aren’t? Better hope there’s a quick-reacting dad sitting next to you.

But should it be the responsibility of the team or MLB if there isn’t?

Are MLB teams to blame that you didn’€™t read the ticket stub warning, or listen to the multiple warnings announced over the park PA system, or watch the entertaining video on the scoreboard where sometimes the players themselves warn you about the risk of objects flying into the stands? Can you really hold anyone but yourself ultimately responsible if you decide to ignore the activities on the field in favor of reading an email or digging in your purse for sunscreen or scooching into your seat with a beer in each hand in the middle of game play? At what point is a person expected to use their own common sense versus passing that responsibility on to someone else€“ or another entity entirely?

In my view, fans should be expected to exhibit a basic level of game awareness (and parents double that for their children) when attending a baseball game. And shifting this responsibility from fans in the park to the teams puts at risk our ability as fans to enjoy games in the way we’€™ve come to expect throughout the history of Major League Baseball. And what a slippery slope that is.

No one wants to see someone get hurt at a baseball game. No one thinks anyone deserves to be injured while enjoying a day out regardless of their activities at the time they got hurt. The only way for teams to completely ensure fan safety is to create further barriers between themselves and the action. But is that what we want? Is that the best way for baseball to evolve? No. Every time a lawsuit is filed against a team or MLB for injuries sustained at a ballgame, though, it feels as if we’€™re getting closer to that inevitable point in time in which fans’€™ opportunities to be close to the game is reduced.

And what a sad time that will be. But until people are willing to step up, use common sense, take responsibility for themselves, and become active viewers,€“ this is the hand we are dealt.

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