The Pittsburgh Pirates were left reeling by a fan’s scary fall onto the playing surface at PNC Park, which quickly turned a moment of joy into “devastated” concern, veteran outfielder and team leader Andrew McCutchen said Thursday.
Just after McCutchen’s dramatic two-run double gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning Wednesday night, a fan spilled over the Roberto Clemente Wall in right field and appeared to lie motionless before first responders rushed him to the hospital.
“We’re devastated of the situation that took place yesterday,” McCutchen said Thursday. “So we all came in here together as a team after the game and said a prayer for him. We hope the best for him and his family. “
McCutchen, one of the team’s most popular players, said he hopes the man’s loved ones know that players are concerned.
“We’re all thinking about him and just praying for the best for him,” McCutchen said. “I hope he pulls through. And yes, it was a tough situation. So yeah, we’re definitely thinking about him.”
The fan was identified Thursday as standout high school football player Kavan Markwood, a spokesperson for the South Allegheny School District said in a statement. He is 20, according to public records.
Markwood, who graduated from South Allegheny High School in 2022, was named team MVP and earned first team all-conference honors, the spokesperson said.
“Kavan is best known for his resilience, strength, and kindness,” the spokesperson said. “He is a friend to all — someone who lifts others up and faces challenges with courage and grace.”
Markwood remains hospitalized in serious condition, according to the statement.
The shocking moment was captured in viral video by fan Bobby Ketter, who didn’t immediately know what he had recorded.
Ketter was at the game with his father, celebrating his dad’s recovery from a stroke, and they were cheering for McCutchen’s big hit.
“It was a couple minutes before I really realized that I had the video,” he told NBC News on Thursday. “Then next thing you know, people are pounding, piling around me and watching it over my shoulder. And that’s when we all realized what happened.”
Ketter said he was struck by the sudden quiet of what had been wild cheers coming from the 11,297 paid fans.
“It was eerie silence,” he said. “You saw the players taking a knee. You could see the gentleman on the warning track, and he has shut off, and everyone’s very confused.”
Ketter praised medical personnel who acted fast: “You know what honestly? Shoutout to PNC Park. The EMS, they were quick, were right there.”
While law enforcement is investigating, the fall is believed to have been an accidental, not a criminal act, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a statement.
