At lunch today, I was watching the Twins-Yankees spring training game on TV and saw Denard Span line one into the stands and hit someone.
After a few minutes, they helped the lady up and I noticed she had a Twins jersey as they showed her. Couple minutes later, she's walking away, and it turns out she had a Span jersey on. At this time, I'm thinking, what are the odds of Span hitting a fan that's wearing his jersey?
Well, it turned out to be his biggest fan.
Quote:
TAMPA, Fla. -- Minnesota Twins outfielder Denard Span hit a foul ball that struck his mother in the chest in the first inning of Wednesday's spring training game against the New York Yankees.
Wanda Wilson was wearing a Span jersey and sitting with about 20 family members and friends near the third-base dugout. Span, batting leadoff, took a defensive swing against Yankees starter Phil Hughes in the first inning and hit a liner right at her in the box seats.
A stunned Span sprinted from the batters' box to the stands and stayed with his mother while paramedics treated her. The split-squad game was delayed for a few minutes as she was taken to first aid, and the Twins said she was sore but OK.
Span returned to the plate with the count 3-2 and struck out looking on the next pitch. The Twins originally said Span would leave the game, but his mother was sitting in a different seat by the bottom of the first inning and he went to center field.
She was treated by paramedics and back in the stands minutes later, but eventually went to a hospital after being convinced by medical personnel at the stadium.
Span flied out in the second inning, then left in the bottom of the third, telling a team official he wasn't mentally into the game. Span and his mother spent time together after he departed.
The AL co-leader in triples last season was born and raised in Tampa. Span regularly volunteers to make the long trip from the Twins' spring training home in Fort Myers when Minnesota visits the Yankees so he can see his family.
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