Death of 9-year-old halts use of bat boys
WICHITA,Kan.— The National Baseball Congress has suspended using bat boys and girls during its World Series games in Kansas after the death of a 9-year-old boy who was accidentally hit in the head with a bat during a game.
Kaiser Carlile died Sunday after he was hit by a follow-through swing near the on-deck circle during the Liberal Bee Jays’ game on Saturday. The boy was wearing a helmet, The Wichita Eagle reported.
The National Baseball Congress’ general manager, Kevin Jenks, said the decision to suspend the use of bat boys and girls is “out of respect for the Bee Jays.” The organization was planning to honor the boy at games Monday and today.
Kaiser was a “kid, small in stature, who just wanted to be one of the guys,” said Mike Carlile, a member of the boy’s extended family and the Bee Jays’ general manager. He said Kaiser was eager to get to the ballpark every day and interact with the players, noting that they’d “kid each other, gig each other.”
Kaiser lived in Liberal, a city in southwest Kansas along the Oklahoma border.
The city of Wichita owns Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, where the accident took place, and is deciding whether to investigate. Ken Evans, the city’s strategic communications director, said it’s too early to decide.
On Saturday, homeplate umpire and longtime paramedic Mark Goldfeder treated Kaiser until an ambulance arrived. The boy was hospitalized in critical condition, but he died Sunday, Carlile said.
Kaiser’s parents met with the team’s players after their son died and urged them to keep playing in the series, Carlile said.
The Liberal Bee Jays went on to win a game Sunday night, advancing the team to the semifinals.