Two years ago, Major League Baseball required all 30 teams to extend the protective netting to the ends of the dugouts . . . but that hasn't stopped people from being badly hurt by foul balls. According toDeadspin.com, at least 16 fans suffered serious injuries this season alone . . . including a 21-month-old girl, two three-year-olds in separate incidents, a man who lost an eye, and a woman who broke her jaw in three places.
Almost all 16 were hit in the HEAD. Fortunately, no one died . . . but a 79-year-old female fan WASkilledby a foul ball last year. And this is an UNOFFICIAL number, because baseball doesn't release data on injured fans. Deadspin made the list by looking through local media reports, and they say there are "certainly" more.
13 of the 30 Major League teams have announced that they will extend their nets farther . . . and most are planning to bring them all the way out to the foul poles. But teams aren't required to do it yet.