Baseball tragedy

[DomerInHappyValley]

Arizona Little Leaguer, 13, dies after pitch hits chest - ESPN

 

[Irish4Life09]

Wow...thats absolutely terrible.I feel horrible for the family.Keep them in your prayers.

 

[ThePiombino]

Youth baseball organizations may want to consider forcing kids up to a certain age to wear heart protectors. This sort of thing happens too often. And btw, as far as I'm concerned, once would be too much...

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Or don't allow bunting. Geez, I witnessed a 10 year old bunt at practice. Ball skipped up to his nose. He fell unconscious. Good thing the coach knew CPR and first aid.

 

[ThePiombino]

Or don't allow bunting. Geez, I witnessed a 10 year old bunt at practice. Ball skipped up to his nose. He fell unconscious. Good thing the coach knew CPR and first aid.

I disagree with this. Kids NEED to learn the fundamentals. Instead of no bunting, have them wear helmets with face guards. This plus a heart protector and the worst that can happen is a bad bruise, or for the VERY unfortunate, sprain/break. I just don't think dumbing down the game and not preparing kids for the basic fundamentals is the answer. Better protective gear would allow for the best of both worlds- protection AND enjoying the game at its fullest.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

I have been finding everything I could about this since my son is playing this year and I just taught him how to bunt. From what I have been able to find it's a medical condition where to the best of my understanding the ball hit him between heart beats. Maybe a Dr. could explain this better? I don't even know if a heart protector would work in that situation.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I disagree with this. Kids NEED to learn the fundamentals. Instead of no bunting, have them wear helmets with face guards. This plus a heart protector and the worst that can happen is a bad bruise, or for the VERY unfortunate, sprain/break. I just don't think dumbing down the game and not preparing kids for the basic fundamentals is the answer. Better protective gear would allow for the best of both worlds- protection AND enjoying the game at its fullest.

If you need that much protection, don't play the phucking game until you are ready. Parents can be idiots.

I bet you force your kid to play football at age 7.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

A little bit more info
m.yahoo.com/w/ygo-frontpage/lp/story/us/97373/coke.bp%3B_ylt=A2KIP7CZQOpNXloAfxop89w4%3B_ylu=X3oDMTI1czMzcG0zBGNjb2RlA3B6YnUEY3BvcwMxBGNzZWMDbW9iaWxlLXRkBGludGwDdXMEcGtnA2lkLTk3MzczBHBvcwMyBHNsawN0aXRsZQ--?ref_w=frontdoors&view=today&.tsrc=yahoo&.intl=us&.lang=en
I really feel for the pitcher as well as tje family in this situation.

 

[ThePiombino]

I have been finding everything I could about this since my son is playing this year and I just taught him how to bunt. From what I have been able to find it's a medical condition where to the best of my understanding the ball hit him between heart beats. Maybe a Dr. could explain this better? I don't even know if a heart protector would work in that situation.

If that's the case then you're probably right that protective equipment probably wouldn't have done much. In either case it's tragic to say the least.

If you need that much protection, don't play the phucking game until you are ready. Parents can be idiots.

I bet you force your kid to play football at age 7.

Are you for real? You're seriously getting upset at ME over this? Reminder, big guy- I'm not the one who killed this kid. As for needing protection, I dare you to make a case for less protection the better for kids. It is far more important to expose kids to a game they will potentially be playing for a LONG time early on in life; and that is exactly when they should be taught the fundamentals. I play in multiple competitive softball leagues where grown men wear shin pads, heart protectors and face masks. It's not about needing protection, it's about avoiding injury over something that is supposed to be FUN and ENJOYABLE. You're seriously deluded if you think that somehow makes these men unworthy of playing the game.

As for me forcing my kids to play football at 7- FIRSTLY, you don't know me from a hole in the wall, so what the hell gives you the right to make an assumption about me or how I would treat my kids? SECONDLY, since you brought it up- I would never force my kids to partake in any extra curricular activities they didn't want to.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I couldn't agree less with the idea that kids so need to learn how to bunt that they need to wear a "heart protector", whatever that is. In a certain sense, fundamentals are important, but bunting is definitely not so important that kids should wear a freaking heart protector so they can learn it. If they end up being any good, they'll eventually play at a level wear teaching bunting makes sense.

At some point wrapping these kids in bubble wrap will start to diminish their ability to really learn and enjoy the sport they are trying to play. It becomes absurd. If you need to dress your kid like a medieval knight to ensure he doesn't die, it might be a good sign that the kid is not quite ready for that activity yet.

 

[ThePiombino]

I couldn't agree less with the idea that kids so need to learn how to bunt that they need to wear a "heart protector", whatever that is. In a certain sense, fundamentals are important, but bunting is definitely not so important that kids should wear a freaking heart protector so they can learn it. If they end up being any good, they'll eventually play at a level wear teaching bunting makes sense.

At some point wrapping these kids in bubble wrap will start to diminish their ability to really learn and enjoy the sport they are trying to play. It becomes absurd. If you need to dress your kid like a medieval knight to ensure he doesn't die, it might be a good sign that the kid is not quite ready for that activity yet.

The fact is that what happened to this poor child is super rare. And odds are 99.9% of kids out there wouldn't need the extra protection. But the questions is is the 1 in 1000 chance that a kid can be seriously injured while attempting something seemingly so benign worth not taking the extra effort to protect them? How is a heart protector anymore coddling than a helmet at that level? At 6 years old kids are hitting off a tee. Obviously a helmet isn't necessary, but it's worn anyway because YOU NEVER KNOW and it's better to be safe than sorry. I just don't see the harm in a little extra protection. I don't believe that a heart protector would pussify (for lack of a better term) the sport or the kid. But that's just my take. I know there are others who agree and many more who disagree. In either case, I'd like to thank Rhode Irish for showing NeutredDoomer that it is possible to disagree without attacking someone and taking things personally, unwarranted.

You

May wanna get over it. This is a forum...on the internet...and we're all entitled to opinions. I'm not going anywhere, killer...so settle down.

 

[edgesofsanity]

Heart protectors discussion aside; what was really needed was an AED - automatic external defibrillator. Commotio cordis may be a rare event; but it is easily treatable - many case reports abound in the literature regarding the prompt treatment. The biggest problems - delay in recognizing the the struck player didn't just have the wind knocked out of him (check a pulse) and instituting prompt CPR; and the lack of an AED. It strikes me as kind of sad that they aren't mandatory in all youth sporting activities.

 

[johnnykillz]

I don't think the answer for Little League'ers would be for all players to suit up like a catcher.

Just my personal opinion.

Freak accidents aren't grounds for changing the way baseball is played, nor the culture surrounding the game. (IMHO)

 

[Buster Bluth]

I for one feel terrible for not only the family of the kid but whoever through the pitch. Being cognizant of the fact that your pitch killed a kid could take his life too.

On another note, just get rid of baseball and play a man's sport :

 

[choo choo]

my son is 12, he has been playing baseball since he was 2...he is an excellent bunter and his helmet has a face mask (his summer league team requires this)...a few years ago he got hit in the chest by a line drive while pitching...this is the most scared ive ever been...he was fine after a few minutes, but it scared the **** out of me...he wears a great deal of protective equipment (depending on the sport) but he is also well coached in the fundementals and works on them often...i dont want to send him up there with just pads and no knowledge...god i hate stories like this

 

[BGIF]

Heart protectors discussion aside; what was really needed was an AED - automatic external defibrillator. Commotio cordis may be a rare event; but it is easily treatable - many case reports abound in the literature regarding the prompt treatment. The biggest problems - delay in recognizing the the struck player didn't just have the wind knocked out of him (check a pulse) and instituting prompt CPR; and the lack of an AED. It strikes me as kind of sad that they aren't mandatory in all youth sporting activities.

I don't think the answer for Little League'ers would be for all players to suit up like a catcher.

Just my personal opinion.

Freak accidents aren't grounds for changing the way baseball is played, nor the culture surrounding the game. (IMHO)

my son is 12, he has been playing baseball since he was 2...he is an excellent bunter and his helmet has a face mask (his summer league team requires this)...a few years ago he got hit in the chest by a line drive while pitching...this is the most scared ive ever been...he was fine after a few minutes, but it scared the **** out of me...he wears a great deal of protective equipment (depending on the sport) but he is also well coached in the fundementals and works on them often...i dont want to send him up there with just pads and no knowledge...god i hate stories like this

If you go to the link DomerInHappyValley put up or just google "Commotio cordis" you'll find there's been research done on chest protectors and ala JohnnyKillz catcher putting kids in a burka isn't not the answer, kids with them have still been injured and died.

Deaths are few but nobody wants them. Life is hazardous. Kids are fragile. Baseball is the leading sport for this time of injury but softball, hockey, laxcrosse, karate, and boxing make the list all contact sports. Should we put all basketball players in chest pads? Elbows are as dangerous as a baseball. Soccer players with chest protectors? How about the kids on the school bus - that have no freakin' seat belts? What does a stair railing do to a skate boarder?

I played third base and was taught that nothing got past the third baseman. I didn't catch everything but I usually stopped the ball. I was taught that black and blue marks on a 3rd baseman were a badge of honor. I never played even with the bag. I wasn't the quickest and to protect against bunts I played up, toeing the grass, or on it. More than once I got nailed with a scorching liner or a bad hop. Fortunately I was also a backup catcher and always wore a cup to games. Like "Tin Cup", I got nailed one day. I was back the next game - on the grass. Part of the game.


edgesofsanity's AED is recommended by the medical specialists in Commotio cordis but if you've ever been a coach and carried bats, balls, and catcher's gear in the trunk of your car, you've got the picture on how long a piece of sensitive medical gear is going to last if each team has their own. People who have used them have been sued for not using them soon enough or "properly". They've been sued regardless when the outcome was tragic. This isn't MLB it Little League. (And should be ban pick up games with no supervision? Good Luck!)

AEDs help but they are not 100% effective. Face it these are Little League coaches, mostly working dads who hurry from the office straight to the field. When do they get certified in using a AED? And who holds them harmless from lawsuits. Do we require paramedics to be a every game? In today's 4 field sports complexs can the medics get to the injured players in the 2 to 3 minutes essential to saving life?

This is an injury that is considered to be widely misdiagnosed as "getting the wind knocked out". While the coach and umpire discuss whethe to give CPR or AED the clock's ticking. This boy took a couple of steps toward first base after the umpire awarded him the base. Tick tock.

Better instruction can help, AED's can help but kids face a bigger threat going to school with bully's, hall horseplay, and buses without seat belts. (Think about that one, seat belts. You have to have a booster seat if your tweenager is under 4'10" by law but school buses don't even have to have seat belts, much less boosters seats for the little ones.)

BTW, as I read the articles it seems while males are effected most and this has happened to 7 month olds through 71 year olds neither of whom were bunting. The average age is 14.7. A teenager, not a 7 year old. Think of the things you did at that age.

The injury generally occurs on the left side of the sternum between the second and fourth ribs. Put on a pair of shoulder pad and count the ribs. I don't recall any going down that low. "Spearing" is outlawed in all football today but kids still take an unintentional lick with a helment. Tacklers still stick the pads to ball carrier, "decleaters". Linemen still shoot out there hands up UNDER the pads of the opposing linenmen, "pancakes". Receiver's are fair game "over the middle" with arms outstretched.

Rocky Marciano's punch had more thrust (measured in Joules) than a baseball line drive. They didn't reference a HS linemen's "punch" or I would have used that.

 

[D-BOE34]

I have a very good friend of mine that just crossed the "dream" ... Media loves him from his story. Reminds me of this young fellow.

Prayers are with the family ....

A night to remember for a kid who didn't quit - Boston Red Sox Blog - ESPN Boston

 

[irishff1014]

This is horrible for the family to have to go through this. I wouldn't want this to happen to my worse enemy. However i do believe that there will be more to this then just a baseball hitting him. I am in NO way trying to talk bad about what happened but after the Medical examiner gets done doing his job it will probaly come out that this young man had some kinda heart problems. This is happens alot that a tramatic injury that kills or hurts someone bad shows that they do have health problems that helped contribute to the injury or death. It doesn't make it any easier to deal with and my heart goes out to the family and his teammates.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Seriously guys??? We can't have a civil conversation of friggin' Little League??? Why resort to cussing over something so damn small? And why resort to getting personal??? I'm not even going to name names, and most of the posts have been deleted, but if you can't handle a guy giving a simple opinion without calling him names, then you shouldn't post on this board. We're all Irish fans here. This thread is done, and if anyone wants to restart a thread about this and act like adults, feel free to do so.