Everyone talks about how hockey has gotten too rough and players are putting themselves and others at risk with head shots and checks from behind. They talk about football and how it has gotten too violent with head shots and ferocious hits. There are some who believe one night someone will die on the playing surface and it will play out in front of many watching both in the stadium and on TV. No one talks about baseball and they should. I truly believe that one night a pitcher will be killed after taking a comebacker in the head. San Francisco Giants pitcher Joe Martinez is the latest to consider himself lucky.....
That is just disturbing to watch. Thank goodness Martinez is OK. The story of the senior hockey player from Ontario who died this year after hitting his head on the ice is something that brought out the anti-fighting activists and is something that finally made the NHL act even though they have no desire to take fisticuffs out of the game. The NFL is trying to crack down on those who dish out hellacious blows but you never hear anything about baseball protecting its players.
Do pitchers need to wear batting helmets when on the mound? You can't put up a screen like they do during batting practice because it would affect the play of the game. I don't know what you do but something has to be done. At least baseball outlaws aluminum bats in the pro game because that surely would kill someone.
I wonder how many slowpitch players get conked in the bean during games and if any have died because of it. I have taken many a ball off the ribs, the legs and the ass to know I certainly wouldn't want one bouncing off my skull.
Martinez isn't the last pitcher who will be hit by a baseball coming at him at an inordinate amount of speed. I'm just glad he isn't the first to be killed on the diamond. Somewhere out there is a pitcher who will become famous for all the wrong reasons. The only question is when does it happen?
1 comment:
Been there!! My wife and Carla Agarand (Ward) used to drive up to Saskatoon to play for DBJ Senior A Fastpitch. Carla was one of the top pitchers in the country and she got one right square in the nose at Women's Nationals. I drove her to the hospital.
Mitch, yer correct to say that sport is getting too dangerous with the way the athletes are trained these days, the likelihood of a far more serious injury is increasing.
Post a Comment