Baseball fan almost replays fatal fall
Other fans catch Keith Carmickle as he tumbles over a wall Monday night during the Home Run Derby at Chase Field in Phoenix.
July 12th, 2011
01:47 PM ET

Baseball fan almost replays fatal fall

On the day a memorial service was held in Texas for a baseball fan who suffered fatal injuries while reaching for a ball, a man at Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby nearly took a similar fall.

During the contest at Chase Field in Phoenix, Keith Carmickle of Kingman, Arizona, stepped on a small table and reached over a railing for a ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers star Prince Fielder, AZCentral.com reported.

Carmickle lost his balance and tumbled over the railing head first. His brother, Kraig Carmickle, a friend, Aaron Nelson, and a couple of other men caught him by his limbs, saving him from an estimated 20-foot fall to the stadium's pool deck, according to the site.

"He tried to catch it. I grabbed his legs and his brother grabbed his arms," Nelson told AZCentral. "So when he went over the ledge, we pulled him back. He wasn't going down. I was holding on."

Watch ESPN video of the near-fall from CNN affiliate KPHO-TV

On a different batted ball, another fan leapt and landed in the stadium's pool with a big splash - and with the ball. He jumped around exultantly in the water, apparently unhurt.

Firefighter Shannon Stone fell to his death in front of his young son Thursday at a Texas Rangers game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Stone fell while reaching over a rail for a ball tossed into the stands by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Stone was buried Monday in his hometown of Brownwood, Texas.

Hamilton will play in Tuesday night's All-Star Game in Phoenix but did not participate in the Home Run Derby.

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Filed under: Arizona • Baseball • Sports • Texas
soundoff (410 Responses)
  1. Jeff

    I wonder if this was staged? I mean it's ironic the timing of this happening again, and the excellent camera coverage that happened to be there to catch the whole thing. Hummmm?!?!!?

    July 12, 2011 at 5:32 pm | Report abuse |
  2. obviously not concerned

    so i see the camara man, instead of maybe trying to help the guy is more concerned with the picture............i am so glad we live in an altruistic country.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:35 pm | Report abuse |
  3. DarWINNING

    In other news, sports fans in the US have been put on the endangered species lists.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:40 pm | Report abuse |
  4. huxley

    Time to increase the height of the railings.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:41 pm | Report abuse |
  5. he111

    My god people, a new baseball is like $8.00 BTW is that Roger Clemens in the red shirt ?

    July 12, 2011 at 5:42 pm | Report abuse |
  6. swedejane

    Even worse, the ball was nowhere near the guy...maybe it's time for at rip to the optometrist.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:43 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Jokersmile

    The human race is predestined to self destruct. You gotta laugh at it...to efin funny.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:44 pm | Report abuse |
    • linda

      Its like watching the do-do birds on that kids movie when they are fighting for the "Last Melon" and all jump to their death! Not a thought in their tiny little heads for their own safety, just gotta have that ball!

      July 12, 2011 at 5:57 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Gerard

    No one in the picture looks remotely concerned. There is a difference between tumbling over the barrier and being hung over the barrier for a better reach, or something along those lines.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:46 pm | Report abuse |
  9. tamars

    what a stupid thing to do. i bet beer was involved.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:47 pm | Report abuse |
  10. teepee

    even in your white tv commercials, and sitcoms, the white man is the bafoon when the women and child seem to have more sense...

    July 12, 2011 at 5:50 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Brian Hartman

    The only sport worth dying over is Rollerball, and that's fictional.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:52 pm | Report abuse |
  12. phearis

    I hope to god this moron doesn't have children to spread is moron genes.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:53 pm | Report abuse |
  13. A

    Two questions:

    1.) How did someone manage to take this picture at the exact moment it happened?

    2.) Why is he in his bare feet?

    July 12, 2011 at 5:57 pm | Report abuse |
    • BBITZ

      1. Just lucky to be down in the pool area.
      2. My guess is he was in sandals and they fell off

      July 12, 2011 at 6:10 pm | Report abuse |
  14. BarbieDahl

    This man should be on the Ridiculist.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:59 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Josef Orwell

    Just because you aren't white doesn't mean you are excused from racism. Please refrain from expressing your grotesque idiocy any further.

    July 12, 2011 at 5:59 pm | Report abuse |
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