Section 13.19 Baseball Parks

• Library: Tort Law 2016

2. (§13.19) Baseball Parks

The risk peculiar to attendance at a baseball game is being hit by a thrown or batted ball. In contrast, the risk of being injured by the team mascot’s hotdog toss is not one of the inherent risks of watching a baseball game. Coomer v. Kansas City Royals Baseball Corp., 437 S.W.3d 184 (Mo. banc 2014).

It has long been recognized that the risk of injury to spectators at baseball games from a ball or bat landing in the stands is not so great as to require that the entire stands be screened. Olds v. St. Louis Nat. Baseball Club, 119 S.W.2d 1000 (Mo. App. E.D. 1938). The proprietor of a baseball park discharges its duty to patrons when it provides screened seats in the grandstand and affords potential purchasers the opportunity of occupying one of these seats. Edling v. Kansas City Baseball & Exhibition Co., 168 S.W. 908 (Mo. App. W.D. 1914). Accordingly, spectators...