Take Me Out to the Courthouse · Foul Territory
Through the Concourse Window
Jones v. Three Rivers Management Corp. (1978)
Charge: Negligence - fan hit by a batting-practice ball in an interior concourse (suit against the stadium operator)Court: Supreme Court of PennsylvaniaDocket: Foul Territory
Could the stadium operator be liable for a batted-ball injury in an interior walkway?
The facts
On opening day at a brand-new big-league stadium, a fan was walking along an interior concourse behind the outfield seats. The concourse had large openings that looked out onto the field, a design that invited people to stop and look. She did not know batting practice had started and could not see home plate from where she stood. A batted ball came through an opening and hit her in the eye. A jury awarded her $125,000, but an intermediate appeals court threw out the verdict.
You have the facts the court had. Guilty or not guilty? Call it in the game with your friends, then see what the court actually decided. Wrong call, you drink.
Citation: Jones v. Three Rivers Management Corp., 483 Pa. 75, 394 A.2d 546 (1978)
Read more at pastpaperhero.com. The source reveals the outcome.