Widow is worried about impact on her son
Police and fans look over the railing where a fan fell from the stands during the second inning of a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics.
/ AP photo
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan says grief counseling has been made available to players following the death of a fan who plunged over an outfield railing trying to catch a baseball.
Ryan spoke Friday, the day after 39-year-old firefighter Shannon Stone fell during Thursday night's game in Arlington, Texas, as he reached for a foul ball tossed to him by outfielder Josh Hamilton.
Stone was at the game with his 6-year-old son, Cooper.
Ryan says he spoke with the firefighter's widow by telephone. He says Jenny Stone told him that "she's very concerned about her son and the impact that this is having on him."
THIS WAS A STORY UPDATE. Earlier version below.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A firefighter has been identified as the Texas Rangers fan who died after falling from the stands while reaching for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said Friday the victim was 39-year-old Shannon Stone of Brownwood. City Manager Bobby Rountree says Stone had been a firefighter for nearly 18 years in Brownwood, located 150 miles southwest of Arlington.
Stone fell about 20 feet onto concrete Thursday night, tumbling over the left-field railing after catching the ball and falling into an area out of sight from the field as the Rangers faced Oakland. Stone's young son witnessed the fall during the second inning.
The Rangers beat Oakland 6-0.
