Fan Falls from stands at Texas Rangers game

[Archie F. Swin]

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ARLINGTON -- The Rangers-Indians game was delayed 16 minutes in the bottom of the fifth inning when a male fan fell from the second-deck club level and into the lower bowl at the Ballpark in Arlington on Tuesday night.

The fan flipped over the railing before landing on his back in section 35, which is roughly a 30-foot drop.

He was conscious and able to move all of his extremities. After being stabilized, he was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.

He was sitting in the front row of section 235 and was reaching for a foul that had sailed over his head and caromed back toward the field. According to a witness, the man turned his back to the field, reached over his head for the foul ball and lost his balance.

Four other fans were treated for minor injuries related to the fall, but none was taken to the hospital.

After the foul ball, which came off the bat of Nelson Cruz, a hush fell over the ballpark as Indians players took a knee and Rangers players sat silent from the dugout. That's when crew chief umpire Tim Tschida halted the game.