Another fan injury, this time by a 106 MPH home run!
We demand netting throughout MLB and MiLB
Sign our Petitions below – Let’s finally stop fan maimings throughout professional baseball, especially the minor leagues. And let’s abolish the Baseball Rule that protects teams and MLB from liability for fan injuries. Enough is enough!
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By signing, you accept FoulBallSafetyNow’s Privacy Policy, and agree to receive occasional emails about our campaign. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Sign the Petition
TO REPEAL THE BASEBALL RULE
Let’s pressure the Legislatures & Governors to protect our fans
Help us get safety netting extended
Foul ball injuries need to stop and we can make it happen
Get involved in 2021 Help us survey Minor League Ballparks and receive 2 complimentary tickets to a game!
At least 42 Minor League ballparks, it’s time to get netting up to protect your fans!
The minor league baseball season is underway, and fans are back in the stands. Unfortunately, they are in danger of severe maiming or even death due to the lack of extended protective netting that is needed to protect spectators of all ages.
Minor Leagues – LOOK OUT!
This ESPN piece from 2019 by Jeremy Schaap is still relevant as dangerous conditions continue in at least 42 minor league ballparks in 2021.
Wake up, Dozer !
Dozer Park in Peoria, IL is among the worst ballparks in professional baseball when it comes to fan safety. Dozer Park only has netting behind home plate, leaving fans in danger of being hit by high-speed foul balls entering the seats above the dugouts and down the foul lines.
It’s time to demand immediate netting improvements and a full audit of fan safety at Dozer Park.
Call the Peoria Chiefs (309-680-4006), call their parent team the St. Louis Cardinals (314-345-9600), call Caterpillar Inc the naming sponsor of Dozer Park (309-675-2337), call Governor Pritzker (217-782-0244)
Urge them all to fix Dozer Park and prioritize fan safety.
Join the movement for foul ball safety throughout professional baseball – sign the petition!
78% of fans agree more safety netting is a good idea
Imagine if those surveyed fully understood how often fan injuries occur. Then perhaps 100% would agree more netting was critical all along
“It’s frustrating for us when we see it happening and we know what’s going on” *
— Whit Merrifield, Kansas City Royals All-Star, in response to a 2-year old girl getting a fractured skull from a foul ball during a 2019 Cubs/Astros game From Interview with kshb.com on July 15, 2019
“I encourage every MLB team to put the nets all the way down (to the poles)” *
— Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians shortstop, who pleaded for more safety netting after his foul ball struck a 3-year-old girl From Interview with Cleveland.com on July 21, 2019
True Stories of Recent Foul Ball Injuries
“Baseball should absolutely extend the nets down the lines to protect fans. As new ballparks bring fans closer to the action, their safety should be a top priority. As players, we want fans to be able to safely & comfortably enjoy the game without fearing for their safety.” *
— Sean Doolittle Washington Nationals - 5/30/19 Twitter post - Read Sean's post and thread in full
“It’s not a matter of if somebody will be seriously hurt, it’s when. I believe MLB has a moral imperative to take care of all the minor league affiliates. Why not have a baseball community with maiming-free zones, where nobody will be seriously injured again? I think we can do it.”
- Jordan Skopp, founder of Foul Ball Safety Now, quoted in Los Angeles Times
“My research continues to this day, and the more I’m learning about the depth of knowledge of this problem within the baseball community, and the irresponsible failure to address it, the more angry and motivated, I am to fix it urgently before another fan suffers a life-altering or deadly foul ball injury,” Skopp said.
- Jordan Skopp, founder of Foul Ball Safety Now, quoted in Forbes.com Interview
"MLB has taken a few steps in the right direction extending the netting, but, honestly, it can go all the way down to the pole and it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. There's not a player in here that wouldn't be in favor of that." *
- Evan Marshall Chicago White Sox Pitcher
Interview with the Chicago Sun Times May 30, 2019
“Having somebody get hurt at your game is something you never want. Especially an innocent little kid. The argument you hear is ‘oh he should be paying attention to the game.’ Well he’s a little kid, and the ball is coming off the bat at over 100 miles an hour. We can’t even react to that. So how do you expect a little kid to be able to do that? It’s just negligent to not have netting. And if that were my family, I’m suing whoever for whatever they’ve got. Because it’s literally just common sense. Period.” *
— Current Minor League Pitcher Interview with Jordan Skopp in Summer 2020
“We’re all going back into harm’s way when the stadiums open up again. Until the stadiums are certified as safe, major and minor league stadiums, then it’s just going to continue.”
- Jordan Skopp, founder of Foul Ball Safety Now, quoted in Los Angeles Daily News
It’s time for change
Creator: Bob Levey | Credit: Getty Images
“Even if you pay attention, you really don’t have enough time to react. The ball will be in the stands within a matter of seconds.” *
— Robert M. Gorman, in his book “Death at the Ballpark,” which examines about 850 game-related fatalities from 1862 to 2007