ARLINGTON, Texas — An emotional Josh Hamilton said Friday he has spent the day praying for the family of a Texas Rangers fan who fell over a stadium railing to his death while trying to catch a ball that was thrown to him and his young son by the star outfielder.
Shannon Stone, a firefighter from Brownwood, Texas, yelled to Hamilton during the second inning Thursday night, asking the 2010 American League MVP to toss the next foul ball to him in the left field stands. Stone, 39, fell over the railing after Hamilton tossed up a foul ball that had caromed to him in left field.
“Behind me I heard someone say ‘Hey Hamilton’ how about the next one. I turned around and Stone was the first guy I saw sitting there with his son,” Hamilton recounted, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“I gave him a nod and I got the next one and threw it in that direction. I just remember it happened in slow motion. Obviously at soon as it happened, I couldn’t help but think about what was happening behind that fence.”
Hamilton, who said he will play Friday night, has not talked to the Stone family but intends to do so soon.
“I’m going to give this situation time to, you hate to think sink in, but I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now. I can’t imagine. All I can think about is praying for them and knowing that God has a plan. You don’t always know what that plan is when those things happen, but you will.”
Stone, 39, fell about 20 feet behind a wall supporting the left field scoreboard. He was treated by the Rangers medical staff, but went into full cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital.
Hamilton said the hardest part was hearing six-year-old Cooper Stone yelling to his father below.
“It was just hard for me, hearing the little boy screaming for his daddy after he had fallen, and then being home with my kids, really hit home last night. That’s one of the main things I remember. It’s definitely on my mind and in my heart. I can’t stop praying today for them.”
But the four-time All-Star said the tragic accident will make him more careful before he throws a ball to a fan in the future, something he said he normally does not do so as not to delay the game.
“The first person I saw was the dad and the boy. It looked like somebody who would love to have a baseball. They were the first ones I saw. When I got it, I found them again and threw it in that direction. If the same situation came up and this hadn’t happened, I’d do it again.
“That’s what the game’s all about. The fans come. They pay to see you play. They want to have a good experience at the ballpark. With player interaction, that’s part of a good experience. Like I said before, it will be something, situations you’ll look carefully where the fans are, how high they are up, what’s the railing like.”
Earlier Friday, Major League Baseball vowed to “carefully review” the incident with all teams.
“All of us at Major League Baseball are shocked and saddened over the tragic death of Mr. Stone last evening,” MLB said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his son and his entire family. Major League Baseball has the utmost sensitivity to the safety of all the fans that come to our ballparks. Our players are encouraged to be fan-friendly and we will carefully review this incident with our clubs to continue to ensure a safe environment for our fans.”
The Rangers planned to hold a moment of silence before Friday night’s game against Oakland, and lowered all flags at the stadium to half-staff.
The accident came a year after a fan suffered serious injuries in a 30-foot fall at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington after reaching over the railing for a foul ball.