Yankee Stadium Cameraman Taken to Hospital After Being Hit in the Head by a Throw

Yankee Stadium has been the home of unforgettable moments over the years both on and off the field. Many of them are captured by diligent camera operators, but on July 5, one found himself at the center of the action for all the wrong reasons.

Pete Stendel of the Yankees’ YES Network was positioned with his camera right next to the team’s dugout on the first-base side. During the fifth inning, Stendel was hit in the head by a misguided throw from Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson as the athlete tried to complete a double play.

A hush fell over the stadium and the game was delayed approximately 17 minutes as medical personnel tended to Stendel. Both Yankees and Orioles players, including Henderson, anxiously watched awaiting a prognosis. Stendel was eventually able to hold up peace signs and shaka signs to the applauding crowd as he was carted off the field on a stretcher.

“That was scary. I think I speak for all of us when I say our thoughts are with him. Hope he’s doing all right and he’s feeling better and we see him back here soon," Yankees outfielder Jake Bauers said about the incident, according to The Associated Press. "He had a pretty bad reaction when he got hit, so it was scary to see.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was similarly worried as everyone waited for a good sign. “It was good to see him obviously coherent and obviously raise his hand,” Boone said. “It was very scary.... Just hope he’s OK.”

Stendel was conscious after the game and underwent tests in the hospital as a precaution. YES revealed during their coverage that he wasn't even scheduled to work the camera next to first base that night but volunteered to fill in so coworkers could have some time off.

The Orioles triumphed at the end of the night in a 6-3 victory over the home team. Henderson, for his part, lamented that his throw led to the scary close call.

“Every time that a ball goes over the first baseman or even a foul ball from the hitter, you don’t want to see it going towards a fan. It just happened to be in the wrong spot, and I hope he’s doing all right,” the shortstop said. “My prayers go out to him. I’m just thankful for the guys that rushed over there to him to help him.”

Catching a foul ball at a baseball game is certainly fun, but sometimes, the risk of being so close to high-speed projectiles outweighs the reward.