Help us get safety netting extended
Foul ball injuries need to stop and we can make it happen
Let’s finally end the maiming of baseball fans from foul balls.
Join the cause and let’s move forward to keep our fans safe.
*Video from Field of Screams 2022 Game
FBSN is getting its due from the Peoria Journal-Star for our long-time campaign for more netting at Dozer Park.
Background: Ever since discovering that Dozer Park was the only team in the PDL hosting games with no netting above the dugouts, Foul Ball Safety Now worked tirelessly to call attention to the risks to fan safety in Peoria. We hired planes to fly banners over the ballpark warning of the lack of netting, wrote letters to the Illinois governor, the MLB parent club St. Louis Cardinals, and Bradley University (which shares Dozer Park), and repeatedly contacted media state-wide in efforts to compel action.
Let this be a learning opportunity and an inspiration for other teams and ballparks in Illinois and everywhere to follow suit and extend netting as urgently as possible. Fans deserve nothing less.
Dozer Park in Peoria, IL was among the worst ballparks in professional baseball when it came to fan safety. Dozer Park only had 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.
Sign our Petitions – 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.
“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
“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
Did you know two MLB fans have been killed by foul balls at Dodger Stadium since 1970? Fans remain at risk of serious injury or death from 100 MPH+ foul balls throughout baseball especially the minor leagues where netting is dramatically lacking.
*Video from MLB All-Star Game 2022
True Stories of Recent Foul Ball Injuries
A young fan with a glove gets hit in the head
Bringing our message directly to the Fans & MLB
A line-drive foul ball hits another fan
“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 - Twitter post - Read Sean's post and thread in full
"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
“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
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
*Player quotes do not directly indicate endorsement of this campaign