Among the most dreaded scenes to witness in sports is a
baseball player, coach or fan being struck in the head by a line drive. The damage that results from being
struck by a ball coming off a bat can be very serious and even deadly.
Recently, baseball fans witnessed two pitchers, J. A. Happ
and Alex Cobb being struck in the head by line drives. To many, it was the sound of the ball
striking the skull that was most upsetting.
One of the most severe injuries happened last September when
Brandon McCarthy, a pitcher for the Oakland A’s, was struck in the head by a
line drive that resulted in a fractured skull and hemorrhage that required
surgery. This June he suffered a
seizure while in a restaurant and currently requires anti-convulsive
medications.
It is no secret that athletes have become bigger, stronger
and faster. While this is a big
concern in high-velocity collision sports like football, it is also a factor in
baseball. A baseball typically
leaves the wooden bat of a major league baseball player at approximately 100
miles per hour (faster with a metal bat).
The human skull is made of bone and is designed to protect
the brain and the blood vessels that supply the brain. A direct blow to the skull can result
in fracture and tearing of these blood vessels. It may also cause a shearing of
nerve cells with subsequent long-term symptoms of concussion including
headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion.
The challenge at this time is how to protect the brains of
pitchers at all levels of play.
The obvious answer is to have pitchers begin wearing helmets. Many pitchers find this impractical,
but newly available Kevlar and gel liners that fit into a standard baseball cap
may be a partial solution.
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