It is no surprise in the modern Smartphone era that more and more fans are being injured by foul balls at Major League Baseball games. A Chicago Cubs fan named Laiah Zuniga was crushed in the face by a foul ball in a 2018 Major League Baseball game at Wrigley Field. She and her lawyers are suing the Cubs and Major League Baseball for the damages this caused, which seem quite severe.
“The blow knocked me unconscious,” Zuniga said in a statement released by her lawyers. “When I awoke, my beef sandwich was the only thing I had to catch the waterfall of blood running down my face.
“I suffered a spider fracture under both of my eyes," she said. “I have frequent bloody noses to this day, and my taste and smell have been permanently affected. I was hit so hard my teeth were detached from their nerves and I had to have extensive dental work done. And even then I still lost a few teeth in the process and am still losing them today.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, they are suing for over $50,000. This is an amount that a Major League Team can quite easily afford, but the question is.. should they help fans who are injured by foul balls? As most MLB fans are aware, warnings are given every game not only through the PA System but also on the tickets themselves. Teams are not to be held responsible. Nevertheless, it would be a kind gesture to help out such fans who are injured by foul balls… after all, it is not like this happens every game. It is thankfully a relatively rare occurrence.
As a die-hard baseball fan, I would prefer not to look through a net. However, given the era we’re in, and the fact that many parents have their faces stuck in their phones with young children sitting beside them, I believe it is the best move to extend the netting as far as possible.
Laiah Zuniga, after being struck in the face by a foul ball in 2018.