[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference 7.286::sports_90

Title:	OURGNG::SPORTS - Digital's daily tabloid
Notice:	Please review note 1.83 before writing anything.
Moderator:	VAXWRK::NEEDLE

Created:	Thu Dec 14 1989
Last Modified:	Fri Dec 17 1993
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	438
Total number of notes:	50420

191.0. "Pitch Kills 10-yr Old" by YUPPY::STRAGED () Wed Mar 21 1990 05:20

    Today's IHT carries an article about a 10 year old boy who died
    of a heart attack after being hit in the chest by a pitch during
    a Little League baseball game.  Apparently the kid (Ryan Wojick)
    went into cardiac arrest when he was struck in the chest near his
    left armpit.
    
    Who was pitching???   Dwight Gooden trying to get some practice
    during the lockout??
    
    But seriously, while this incident is clearly tragic, what are some
    of the more common injuries sustained in Little League games and
    what can parents do to try to prevent them.
    
    PJ

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
191.1	no substitue for good coaching early	ASABET::CORBETT		`Wed Mar 21 1990 11:44`	15
	That is trajic! I bet most injuries happen either like this, being hit by a pitch, or during sliding. A lot of these injuries could be avoided with proper coaching in these areas. A lot of little leauge coaches over look thse two areas. They don't seem inportant but every kid should be taught (at a very early level) how to slide properly and how properly avoid a pitch inside. I remember whole practices with nothing but sliding and every once in a while during BP a few pitches that you had to hit the dirt on. If you turned into the pitch or ducked your head towards the plate you were shown the proper way to hit the dirt. It looks easy enough but there are some kids who never realy get it and just do a turtle when the pitch is coming at them. mc
191.2		CAM::WAY	And death shall have no dominion	`Wed Mar 21 1990 13:01`	13
	I agree Mc... Also, while I'm very aware that a major blow to the chest can cause cardiac arrest, I'm curious as to the physical condition of the youngster... Can a little league pitcher really fire the ball THAT hard? Perhaps it was a coach (I hope not)... This is a terrible thing to have happen, but hopefully there is a lot that can be learned.... Chainsaw
191.3		9385::CRITZ	Who'll win the TdF in 1990?	`Wed Mar 21 1990 13:24`	11
	This is not about baseball, but similar to the basenote... Some years ago, my younger brother and I were playing tennis. I hit a shot that took a funny bounce directly at him. My brother swung the racket in such a way that the base of the racket hit him just below the sternum. He didn't die or anything that tragic, but his heart rate went through the roof for a couple of minutes. Eventually it slowed down, but it scared the both of us somewhat. Scott
191.4	there are risks with pitched and batted balls etc.	MSBIS2::ROBINSON	knowledge is good	`Wed Mar 21 1990 16:11`	17
	.0 The thing that used to frighten me the most playing baseball was the possibility of a line drive coming back through the middle and taking my nuts or head off. After about the age of 12 line drives get hit so hard (sometimes :-) back up the middle that often there is little or no time to react. Needless to say, the balls get hit a lot harder in high school and college when they are cominf off aluminum bats. The way I dealt with it growing up was to wear a chain (w/ a little cross on it) around my neck. Deep down inside I knew that if the ball had my number on it, I was gone. Jeff
191.5		COOKIE::MJOHNSTON	WON MAN ISS NO TOO BLAM! YUO AR!!	`Wed Mar 21 1990 16:28`	29