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How horrible is this? To die trying to do something for his son at a ballgame? Your thoughts & story inside->?
Fan’s pursuit of gift for son ends in tragedy
In the second inning, Oakland A’s outfielder Conor Jackson(notes) hit a screaming foul ball down the left-field line. It caromed toward Josh Hamilton(notes), the Rangers’ left fielder. Hamilton picked it up and threw the ball toward the stands. Players do this hundreds of times in a season. It’s part of baseball’s charm. Show up to a stadium, take home a piece of the game.
Hamilton’s toss came in short. It didn’t stop Shannon Stone from stretching to grab it. I’m almost certain, in fact, that the moment before Shannon Stone fell 20 feet and suffered injuries that would kill him, he was indescribably happy. He was going to grab a baseball from Josh Hamilton, a man who hauled himself from the depths of drug addiction to not only return to baseball but win the American League MVP award last season. Once Stone had that baseball, he was going to hand it to his son. And for the rest of his life, his son would have a story to tell about the time his daddy reached over a railing and snagged a bad throw from Josh Hamilton, one of the most talented players ever to wear a baseball uniform.
[Related blog: Man dies after falling out of stands at Rangers game)]
Instead, he watched his dad die. He saw Shannon Stone secure the ball in both hands but lose his balance in the process. The man next to Stone reached, in vain, to grab his leg. Stone fell head first 20 feet. When paramedics arrived to stabilize Stone and take him to a hospital, the relief pitchers in the A’s bullpen overheard the conversation.
“Please check on my son,” Stone said.
This is unfair. It’s so very unfair. It’s unfair to Josh Hamilton, a decent man and a father to three daughters. He tried to do a good deed. That’s all he tried to do. It’s unfair to Shannon Stone, a firefighter for 18 years who just wanted to make his kid’s night. It’s most unfair to that son. He will grow up without a father.
22 Answers
- nba_gswLv 710 years agoFavorite Answer
As an A's fan, I felt I was almost involved. Its such a sad story and I actually saw the video footage of him falling and his son behind him looking down. Brad Ziegler of the A's and Craig Breslow and Joey devine was walking down that small corridor when it happened. It also had a real toll on Ziegler who was super emotional after the game and it makes you wonder if he can even pitch today after seeing it happen. Josh Hamilton is quesitonable for today's game. This isn't even baseball anymore and it's a very scary story.
There are a few sad notes to this:
1.) His son was there and it was his first baseball game. I feel for thie family and especially the son because how will he deal with his life without his father and how will he see the sport of baseball from now on.
2.) This game was actually a makeup game. The Rangers clobbered the A's in a game a few months ago but rain delay in the 4th inning suspended the game and ended it and thats why it was played last night. So many what-ifs, but we can't live with that because its already sad enough as it is.
I hope the A's and Rangers can both play a great game tonight in support of the family and the Mr. Stone.
- Anonymous10 years ago
R.I.P. I can't imagine the pain Hamilton is feeling, he'll have to live with that for the rest of his life, and he's already been through enough. And the poor kid has to grow up without a father, and the guy, as he's bleeding and dying down there cares enough about his kid to ask if he's all right... damn. Just a horrible, disgusting event. If I were Hamilton, I'd probably take a day or two off to get a hold of myself, and I'll understand completely if that's what he decides to do.
It's just not fair to anyone. And to prevent anything like this from happening again, they seriously need to put padding or a net down there.
Source(s): Thoughts and prayers to the family (especially the kid), Hamilton, and everyone else involved in this tragedy - shiningstar12992Lv 610 years ago
A horrible, horrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, and may that man rest in peace, all he was trying to do was what so many other fans have tried to do yet this time something so terrible happens. I hope in the future other baseball fans keep in this mind when trying to lean over to catch a ball; its scary to think things like this can happen and we must remember to be extra cautious. I can't stop thinking about that little boy - a quintessential father and son day at the ballpark, he was probably so excited to be there and to get that ball, and something so horrific happens in front of his very eyes. It was nobody's fault, just a terrible accident; RIP to Shannon Stone and let's pray something like this never happens again at a baseball game.
- 10 years ago
Dude I knew about this but how you put it just made me feel so sad that kid is gonna grow up without a father and forever in his mind a baseball will always be attached to the memory of his father. Hamilton probably just wanted to give the ball to a fan you know players do that to make us happy but it had a horrible ending.
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- mattapan26Lv 710 years ago
Tragic for Stone, tragic for his kid, tragic for Josh Hamilton and tragic for the pitchers in the Athletics bullpen who saw the whole thing. Is the answer for players not to toss the ball to a fan? No. People just have to make intelligent choices in life.
- Anonymous10 years ago
Oh my gosh that's so horrible. That reminds me of the time when a mother was trying to win a wii for her kids and what she had to do was drink a lot of water and hold it in but her bladder ended up exploding and she died. It's those horrible things that happen when a parent is just trying to do something nice for there kids that you remember the most. I feel so bad for the kid. That's so sad! It was no ones fault. It was supposed to be a good deed that Stone and Hamilton did. It wasn't meant to hurt any one.
- Little RichieLv 510 years ago
That is so awful. It's no ones fault though... bad throws happen and attempts for them can cause an injury... a sad story. I feel awful for Stone's son.
- FungoLv 710 years ago
While I understand the reason players toss balls into the stands at the end of innings (or foul balls), it may be time to suspend this activity for awhile. Souvenir balls should only be foul ("unfair") balls and home runs hit into the stands.
- GTAP!!Lv 710 years ago
I just read the story. It's sad for the family. Trying to do something to give to his son. I don't know anyone who wouldn't do that. I just came from a funeral and this makes me more sad.
