Seventh-Inning Stretch · Heads Up!
The Scramble for the Souvenir
Lee v. National League Baseball Club of Milwaukee, Inc. (1958)
Charge: Negligence - fan knocked from her box seat when other spectators stampeded for a foul ball (suit against the club)Court: Supreme Court of WisconsinDocket: Heads Up!
Must a ballclub protect a seated fan from being trampled by other spectators scrambling for a foul ball?
The facts
A woman attended a big-league game at the county stadium in Milwaukee and sat in a box seat. An usher was normally stationed at the box, but he had moved to the very front of it with his back turned. When a foul ball came into the area, about ten to twelve other fans suddenly scrambled and stampeded to grab it. The rushing crowd knocked her out of her chair and she was injured. She sued the club, which argued that fans accept the risks of a crowded ballpark.
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: Lee v. National League Baseball Club of Milwaukee, Inc., 4 Wis. 2d 168, 89 N.W.2d 811 (1958)
Read more at lexplug.com. The source reveals the outcome.