A baseball fan was hospitalized after falling from the stands above the outfield wall at PNC Park in Pittsburgh during the Pirates’ game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, April 30.
The man, who has not been identified yet, fell over the railing during the seventh inning, after the Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen hit the ball through the infield. The man fell about 20 feet, landing on the warning track during play. Trainers, EMTs and police rushed to treat the man quickly. The fan was put on a stretcher and carted off the field.
Another fan jumped from the lower part of the outfield wall to help the fan, reports KDKA. It’s not clear if the second person was related to the man.
The man was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a statement. Police are investigating the incident.
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Andrew McCutchen watches as a fan is carted off the field at PNC Park on April 30
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“Tonight, during the seventh inning of the game at PNC Park, an adult male fell from the right field bleachers onto the field of play,” the Pirates said in a statement. “Pittsburgh EMS, as well as the Pirates and Cubs athletic training teams and other PNC Park personnel reacted and responded immediately and administered care. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further information is available at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”
After the game, Pirates manager Derek Shelton offered his thoughts and prayers, and thanked the medical staff of both teams for their response.
“Even though it’s 350 feet away or whatever it is, the fact of how it went down… and then laying motionless while the play is going on,” Shelton said, per the Post-Gazette. “I mean, [Cubs manager] Craig [Counsell] saw it. I saw it. We both got out there. I don’t think the umpire saw it unfortunately because of the way the ball kicked. It’s extremely unfortunate. I mean, that’s an understatement.”
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“I hope the gentleman’s OK,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said postgame. “I’m thinking about his family and him right now. Obviously scary. I didn’t see it happen, but I saw it out there after the play. I just hope everything turns out OK.”
The right field wall from where the man fell is exactly 21 feet tall in honor of the late Pirates legend Roberto Clemente, who wore 21.
The game was delayed for about 10 minutes before play resumed. The Pirates won 4-3.
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