A Chicago Cubs died on Wednesday night after watching a game at the Friendly Confines. A man fell over a railing and to his death after watching the Cubs take on the Cincinnati Reds.
Cook County officials confirmed on Thursday the man from Wheaton, Illinois had died at the ballpark.
Richard E. Garrity, 42, was on his way out of the park when he fell and suffered severe head trauma around 11 p.m. Tuesday — about 45 minutes after the Cubs’ game against the Cincinnati Reds. He was rushed by a private ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Garrity was pronounced dead around 3:33 p.m. on Wednesday.
“The thoughts and prayers of our entire organization are with his family during this difficult time,” a statement from the Cubs organization said.
The 103-year-old park has undergone extensive renovations over the offseason, but there was no word on where or from what height Garrity fell.
Injuries from broken bats or foul balls are all-too common at ballparks around the country, even with improved safety netting. This kind of fall and death, however, is also something that seems to happen far too often, and regardless of the age of a park. In July 2011, a man fell to his death at a Texas Rangers game trying to catch a home run ball.
The Cubs have yet to comment on the matter, and an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday to learn more about what caused Garrity’s death.
