Comments on: 13-year-old dies after getting hit by pitch

By: stacker79

stacker79 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:29:45 +0000

and was the only player who went to where he was laided to rest****

By: stacker79

stacker79 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:10:19 +0000

Hey there, just was looking up old history, saw your post and wanted to reply. My names Mike Merrill, and I was on Ryan’s team the minor “A” Cardinals in 1990, I was one of the teams starting pitchers. I was the batter that was right before him at bat. I ended up grounding out, and was upset I didnt get on base. Then Ryan was up we all know what happened after that.
Ryan was my catcher, remember he was quiet, and we would often talk about his favorate player Will Clark on the Giants. I was probably closer to him that anybody on the team. I atteneded his funeral, and was on the player who when to where he was to be laid to rest. I placed my catchers mit on his casket and talked with and hugged your mom. She told me in tears how happy she was about that because Ryan always wanted a catchers glove. I miss him to this day and I wassent the same for years. But all always remember what a good kid he was, and the times and talks we had.

By: jaguars44

jaguars44 — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:38:47 +0000

it would be hurt if you were the pitcher who hit him i would think that if i was pitching i would think it was my fault

By: jaguars44

jaguars44 — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:35:13 +0000

yeah i know it hurts if its your friend although i dont know him

By: andypfellowshipconway

andypfellowshipconway — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:08:06 +0000

My heart aches for this family. As a pastor, father and coach I can’t even begin to imagine. Props to you for the shirt. Another great tool to protect your child would what I’ll refer to as the “post-modern bunt.” I don’t know a single well-qualified coach that still teaches the old-school style of “square to bunt.” In the old style of bunting, coaches would have players square up in the box (i.e, toes parallel to the top of the batters box) to bunt. This style has 3 major flaws: 1) It exposes the batters face/chest/abdomen/groin. 2) It forces a level-bat-bunt (which has a 50/50 chance of being a pop-up or bounce right in front of the catcher and finally 3) It put the batter in the worst possible position from which to leave the batter’s box (the cross-over step & stepping on home plate – which results in an “out.” Coaching is key. I’m super thankful for well-intended Dad’s and as a coach want and need parental involvement, which is why I recommend all parents attend specialized instructions. Yes, you read that correctly, “the parents”. A good coach will spend the first few practice sessions teaching the parents foundational things (swings/bunts/throwing/fielding) so they can work with their kids at home. A LL schedule usually consists of 3 or 4 practices then 2 or 3 months of games. If a parent can become an assistant coach, the “real” coaches job just got a whole lot easier.

By: fieldofmoms2011

fieldofmoms2011 — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:56:41 +0000

Please email me at fieldofmoms@gmail.com—there is so much that I would like to say to you about how your brother has inspired me in my efforts towards Little League safety reforms-I would love to talk to you

By: Rusty Coan

Rusty Coan — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:23:58 +0000

Meant to post the link to the wiki page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commotio_cordis

By: Rusty Coan

Rusty Coan — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:21:21 +0000

According to Wikipedia the chest protectors will not do anything to prevent this. If anything I feel that they will lull people into a false sense of security. This event is not something that a pad or protector can prevent…. at least not one that’s currently available on the market.

From Wikipedia:
Chest protectors and vests are designed to reduce trauma from blunt bodily injury, but this does not offer protection from commotio cordis and may offer a false sense of security. Almost 20% of the victims in competitive football, baseball, lacrosse and hockey were wearing protectors. This ineffectiveness has been confirmed by animal studies. Development of adequate chest protectors may prove difficult.

By: gwojick

gwojick — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:29:16 +0000

Jason, I wanted to thank you for your progressive approach and preventative measures. I am the sister of Ryan Wojick, a boy struck during a Little League game back in 1990 who died as a result of the pitch. It was a much different opinion 20 years ago to shield young children from the impact of a baseball and it pleases me that, through reading these posts, I can see people have embraced the available safety precautions.
America loves the game and I am not against its existence but children are fragile and as my mother so eloquently said years ago, “we protect their heads with helmets and their groins with cups, why not their hearts.”

By: ifindbooks

ifindbooks — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:26:25 +0000

Don’t forget to focus on the story at hand…these parents and this league has suffered a great loss. We have regulations to protect from or prevent injuries to our children, and participants in general to all kinds of sports. Look at the beginnings of the football helmet alone and follow it’s evolution! The fact is there is are terrible tragedies related to sports across the board which is why we evolve with the sport to make it safer. No one finds it ironic that we put a man with a bat and a helmet out there on the plate but not an arms length behind him is a TON of protective padding and caging covering the catcher AND ump! Maybe someone could benefit from the regulating of pediatric v-fibs mandatory at these games or even protective batting gear – not armor. My condolences.

By: Tim's Neighbor

Tim's Neighbor — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:32:54 +0000

I’ve run adult rec leagues and always required First AID training of my employees. I now run a youth league and an AED will be purchased this year because of this.

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 16:30:18 +0000

…and people who have been trained generally do not freeze up when the situation where that training is needed arises, they react according to that training. If you look through this posting, you will see atr least 3 including myself who are medical professionals; at any given game day that at least one would likely be there too.

By: mdak06

mdak06 — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:47:32 +0000

@aliepolomariah … I don’t think any of us are saying that all accidents can be prevented or anything of the sort. However, sudden cardiac arrest from an impact to the chest is something where an AED and someone trained in CPR can easily mean the difference between that person’s life or death. The sooner someone in v-fib gets a shock, the higher their chances are of survival.

There’s also the possibility that a parent or grandparent might need an AED, and ballfields aren’t always close to buildings or any place where medical help is close by. AED’s are being placed in many public places, and that’s a good thing.

I’d support -everyone- 16 and up knowing how to do CPR and handle an AED, not just those involved with baseball. The more people that know CPR, the less of a “big deal” it is having CPR-certified folks around – but the more likely people are to survive cardiac arrest.

By: aliepolomariah

aliepolomariah — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:59:17 +0000

fieldofmoms2011. i dont think LLB wants to wish the kids who died away. they are the ones who died doing something they absolutely loved. but we cant keep dragging on with them either. sure every kid who died had a family…but also every kid who died by a pitch, or a line drive, or even playing catch….there was always someone else on the other end of that ball. think of how the kid who pitched the ball that hit Hayden feels. everytime he hears his name he probably thinks that he is the one who killed him, he probably cries because of it, and it wasnt on purpose.
my brother (who was 12 at the time) was playin in a travel ball game on the 4th of july 2009. he was playing his bestfriends team (whose birthday was also that day). my brother was up to bat and his bestfriend pitching. first pitch was 87 MPH….hit my brother square in the temple. the whole field was dead sclient except for my brothers bestfriend in absoulte tears laying on the ground next to my brother in the batters box. luckly my brother is fine and only had a concussion, but his friend wont pitch anymore. things like this, sure they affect the family, but they also affect the other kids. so if we keep bringing it up we keep reminding the other kids of the horrible day when they thought they were just pithching another baseball game, or hitting a ball, or even playing catch, then it turned into the day they killed someone on accident

By: aliepolomariah

aliepolomariah — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:48:03 +0000

okay i have a younger brother who played Little Leauge all his life. my family had multiple freak accidents like what those other kids had. we have had fast balls (80 MPH) to the head, and balls to the rib cage, he spent 4 weeks in the hospital at the age of 6 for being hit in the head by a flying bat. but sadly what some of you dont realize is that its the game. baseball, and heck, any sport there are going to be situations where people could get killed. one of the worst things we could do is make a huge deal out of it. the bigger deal you make it, the more scared kids are going to be. and sure Umps and coaches should be CPR certified, but most of them are freak accidnets and i know i wouldnt be able to react quick enough if i just saw a kid get hit by a pitch to the chest. you cant put more and more padding on these kids then give them a shove and tell them to have fun. the whole fun of sports is going out there getting dirty, laughing with friends, getting hurt. thats the game, thats why kids play.

By: cur68

cur68 — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:08:18 +0000

aaaaand here’s (hopefully) the link;

http://www.softball-bats.org/easton-torso-tection-protective-youth-shirt.html

looks like a bit like Batman’s suit! Might get one for halloween….

By: cur68

cur68 — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:06:29 +0000

jaydensmo02; I used a google search with the following terms; “easton protective baseball shirt”
I’ll post a follow on message with the link but sometimes links that I post don’t seem to show up on HBT. As such. if you don’t see the link in a following post, google it as I did.
Good luck

c-68

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:38:33 +0000

Agree completely. The machines can in fact be had for under $1K. Most youth leagues could spread the cost across the registration fees and nobody would blink.

By: mdak06

mdak06 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 19:08:48 +0000

Ideally, there would be one AED at every ballfield with a game, and all umpires, managers, coaches, and any field staff would be trained in CPR / AED use. It’s also not just the kids that might get hurt – there’s always the possibility of a parent, grandparent, or another fan at the game who might need help.

Get them tested at the start of every season, make sure the pads are not expired, and keep folks up-to-date on training. Maybe there are grants (or generous individuals) available to help with the costs.

Personally, I think everyone should learn how to do CPR and operate an AED. Not everyone is able to handle a situation like that, but training can help a lot.

My thoughts go out to the family and friends of the kid.

By: baseballisboring

baseballisboring — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:25:34 +0000

yeah that about sums it up. ughhhhh

By: jaydensmom02

jaydensmom02 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 16:27:32 +0000

I just think more protective gear around the chest for all players under 18 should be mandatory. My son was hit last week and many stood around and stared, hoping for the best while he crumbled. My husband and I ran to grab him while I crumbled at home plate due to a 55 mile an hr ball to his ribs…he’s 8! So….just regulating safety would be a justice to the sport and to all communities that support these kids and this sport. I’ve read all these posts and I honestly believe we all just wants whats best for our kids. SO instead of attacking for safety reasons….come together to FIGURE IT OUT so our own kids dont become another statistic!

By: jaydensmom02

jaydensmom02 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 16:19:24 +0000

Jason, where can I get one of these? I have two boys that play and one was hit a week ago in the ribs by another player who throws 55-60 mile an hr balls. My son is only 8….he was hurt, but not real bad. Theres been a nagging voice in the back of my head ever since….he also hasnt hit a ball since (nerves). I didn’t want to sound like an over protective mother in front of all these boys and fathers of these boys (and strip him from that game like I thought I should have)…but now I see, I had every right to. I feel a lot of guilt after reading about Hayden. I don’t even want to imagine what his family is going through….I feel guilty enough. I’ve said many prayers and see you have an answer. So where do I get these from? I tried googling, but all I can find is a patent for one. demingrobin@yahoo.com Thanks so much.

By: sawxalicious

sawxalicious — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:15:20 +0000

Buster Posey would disagree with you…as would Mike Cameron, Marcus Giles, anf Cliff Floyd.

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:40:50 +0000

Properly run public access defibrillator programs include training key people (in this case I’d suggest coaches, umps, groundskeepers) in AED use. AED use is already part of the Red Cross’s CPR curriculum. It’s actually quite easy for a fully automated machine (confirm there’s no pulse, attach the pads, turn on the machine, make sure nobody touches or moves the person, push the button when the machine tells you to), to the point that with training people react according to the training rather than staring in shock.

By: fieldofmoms2011

fieldofmoms2011 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:20:32 +0000

Well said, j, and thanks for the information on Devin. j, I’m not trying to vilify LLB. I have no gripe with them other than they need to take on some accountability and make reforms.

When someone from their camp says no kids have died playing Little League, it wipes all these kids off the map. LLB can’t wish them away. They need to understand the reasons why each of these boys died so everything that can be done will be done to prevent fatailities in the future.

Playing baseball should never be a reason to die.

By: jibiral

jibiral — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:32:44 +0000

Not to discredit everything you said (what a giant wall of text, by the way), but I knew Devin Beck of Ammon, ID personally. He was not struck by a “pitched ball,” as you claim. He was playing catch or “warming up” before a game. The ball struck him in the neck, which triggered an aneurysm that the family was told would have eventually happened anyway. Even then, the incident occurred while two friends were merely playing catch. This did not happen during a game or official practice. What would your petition have Little League do in this instance? Ban 11 year-olds from doing something that we all presumably love to do?

To be honest, I think dying at the age of 11 is almost always “in vain” no matter the affect said death has on youth baseball, but, to address what you’re implying, I don’t believe Devin died in vain. His family was in no way forgotten and, last I checked, Devin is still honored every year while the kids and parents are both instructed in regards to safety. I highly doubt that the Beck family cares whether or not some suit in Pennsylvania knows about their son. Their community does. Several lives have already been affected for the better. People die in unexpected ways. In Devin’s case, his death was in no part due to negligence. We grew closer as a community and made peace with it. The onus of player safety should fall on the parents, coaches and community. In that order. I don’t care to blame some suit I’ve never met for the death of a friend and classmate. I also don’t see anything that anyone could have reasonably done to prevent the death of Devin.

The point I want to get across, as it appears most are, is that these kind of things are liable to happen no matter what one is doing. It seems silly to attempt to villainize an organization that exposes youth to baseball.

Judging by your blog, I should have just ignored you like everyone else has. I guess a part of me misses Devin and I don’t want to see him misrepresented or see his name used in your propaganda when it really does not belong.

By: TestSubjekt

TestSubjekt — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:05:50 +0000

sure, except baseball isn’t considered a contact sport.

By: cur68

cur68 — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:45:08 +0000

Glenn; given the rate of commotio cordis is around 2 dozen a year I think Jason’s actions to protect his child are as reasonable as a bike helmet or a seat belt. I’d include the link about the frequency of cc but HBT seems to drop my posts when I do. Use a GIS with ‘commotio cordis’ and ‘incidence’ as your search term. You’ll be shocked at how common it is. I’m glad he’s doing something.

As a 12 year old I was on the ice at pick up hockey game when a friend took a skate across the neck. He bled everywhere and were it not for the actions of quick thinking on lookers he’d have died. Some have died. Now neck guards are SOP on all rinks. What’s interesting is that the rate of neck lacerations is low in comparison to commotio cordis. Its more common than we think. Jason is right on the money protecting his child. I’d do the same for my son.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:15:11 +0000

In reality, I bet everyone would have stood around and looked concerned until it was too late. No one is thinking that a child is going to die at a Little League game. I’d like to think that if I was there, I would be a hero, but I probably wouldn’t. I would guess that the average child is in more danger walking through a parking lot.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:09:35 +0000

We can’t cloth are kids in armor all the time. Horrible accidents happen, we just hear about them nationally and instantaneously now. It is a terrible tragedy, but we do not nor cannot reasonably live in a risk-free world. Kids sitting around playing video games and not playing sports is doing more long-term health damage than any one sports tragedy.