It struck me by surprise as well. I never thought that something so terrible could happen inside a stadium. I mean, how "great" can the world be if there is risk/reward at an entertainment event?
This incident I'm referring to actually made me cry. In case you haven't seen or heard about it, 39-year-old Shannon Stone, when reaching for a foul ball tossed into the stands by Rangers' left-fielder Josh Hamilton, fell through a gap between the left-field wall and stands. While the television announcers laughed at what seemed like a "harmless topple" from an eager fan, Stone was being taken away by paramedics.
He would die later at a Texas hospital.
And his 6-year-old son witnessed the entire thing, sporting a mitt on his right hand and a Rangers' jersey on his back. How terrible?
Makes me think. Life is truly a game of inches. If Josh Hamilton throws the ball a few inches upward, the ball would be in Connor (Shannon's son) Stone's room next to a ticket stub. If Texas starter Derek Holland delivers a pitch to Conor Jackson a few inches lower, Jackson drives the ball harmlessly to center field and Connor Stone still has a father.
Touching. I have been going to baseball games with my dad since I was Connor's age. And I have appreciated every single second, and will continue to do the same. Because we honestly don't know what is going to happen next. My thoughts and prayers are out to the Stone family, the Texas Rangers' organization and Josh Hamilton.
