13 YO dies from baseball injury

[Amy in AZ.]

Brady Lee Frazier DEAD: 8th Grader Dies In Baseball Scrimmage

 

[EP Dad]

NY Student, 13, Dies after Being Hit by Baseball - Sports Blog - CBS News

This link has a little more information. A couple of details give a little more insight.

The newspaper reported that several posts on Facebook suggest the 13-year-old pitcher was injured while pitching to varsity baseball players - which would violate state athletic regulations.

Frazier's death comes less than two months after a California teen was nearly killed in a similar circumstance on the baseball field.

Gunnar Sandberg, a 16-year-old pitcher for Marin Catholic High School, was struck by a line drive and left in a coma for weeks. The incident prompted the Marin County Athletic League to suspend the use of metal bats.

Sandburg is still wearing a helmet that covers the hole in his skull that surgeons opened up to prevent brain damage, according to CBS Station KPIX. His brain had begun to swell after he was hit in the head during a game on March 11th.

It's not clear if metal bats were used in the incident that killed Frazier.

Metal bats already are banned in schools in New York City and North Dakota.

I wonder if a mask was worn what the result would have been. I'm a believer in kids wearing them, especially at Pitcher.

 

[Hollyrockartist]

That is awful!!! Article didn't say much, only about the head injury and they thought he was going to get to go home? Must have been a closed head wound. Bless him and his parents...

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I found that link about pitching to varsity, too. I wish he had had a screen. I just bought one yesterday.

How awful for everyone, including the coach and the boy who hit him.

I am certain that the mask saved me from a world of hurt, last week. That said, I see grown men wear them, but never a boy.

 

[SoCalDad]

The University of North Carolina has posted an excellent article on Baseball injuries. The statistic that shocked me is that a player is more likely to suffer an injury from a batted ball than a pitched ball (see below). We require batting helmets but the debate goes on about fielders. This all-star season I am requiring my pitchers and corner infielders to wear a face mask. There was some debate among the parents but ended by telling them I had no problem sitting them so they did not get injured.

"Of the 15,266 ball injuries, batted balls accounted for 5,882, pitched balls resulted in 5,609 and thrown balls led to 3,775, researchers found. Batters experienced the most ball-related injuries, followed in order by infielders, outfielders, catchers, pitchers and base runners."

New study shows 13 Little League players died from baseball injuries from 1987-96

 

[stephanie]

This happened a few years ago here....kid was in a pitching cage, behind a net, and got hit by a ball hit from ANOTHER CAGE.
Sometimes, nothing makes sense.


Grapevine baseball player dies of injuries | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

 

[EP Dad]

Yeah, the bottom line is you can't wrap them all in bubble wrap. However, you can do sensible things like SoCalDad has and make certain players put on a mask.

 

[SoCalDad]

Yeah, the bottom line is you can't wrap them all in bubble wrap. However, you can do sensible things like SoCalDad has and make certain players put on a mask.

Those of us coaching fast pitch softball have to understand the stats and make sure our players and parents know them as well, especially for the 12U on up. A 50 MPH pitch released at 35 feet takes less than .5 seconds to reach the plate. Coming off the bat at 60 MPH the reaction time at 35 feet is about .4 seconds. Those times are about the same as a major league baseball player pitching in the 70 MPH range and a ball coming off the bat in the 80 MPH range. Would you allow your DD pitcher or corner infielder to face major league players without a face mask? I for one would not.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Thanks for the numbers.

I know when the most injuries (minor) have occurred when I coached and it was during warm ups. I mean, when a player looks to the side to talk to someone and her throwing partner doesn't realize it.

I keep thinking that the ball could possibly be changed. In most sports the ball gives a little. I wonder is anyone has ever been killed by being it by a football, a soccer ball or a basketball? I sometimes use a tennis ball with beginners and I would think that something along those lines could be developed. Then, kids would be free to swing whatever bat they wanted.

Or require the kids to armor up. Around here, I see them in t-shirt, shorts and cleats. I am happy if they even get a pair of socks on.

 

[mudbug]

I had a friend whose son was at HS ball practice, and a fouled ball came thru a small gap in backstop fencing, hit it just perfect to get thru, and hit him in the head. He was in hospital for several days, but eventually recovered with no ill effects.

Dont take this the wrong way, I think it is very sad, tragic, and sympathize with his family, etc.

But playing sports are NOT risk-free,
( nor is any part of life at all for that matter). Every now and then we get reminded of this fact. Your option to minimize risk in life is to sit in one spot and never move, but thats not really living. By doing things, we acknowledge that the benefits are worth the risk.

I have a friend that umpired for 35 yrs, and now directs tournaments as he considers himself too old to ump optimally. He has told me he has seen it all in baseball over the years. Fractured skull, broken limbs, torn knees, dislocated parts, and even a broken neck. Not common enough to keep us scared, but it can, does, and will happen. We just hope not to us, and pray for those that it happens to.