Man Sues Cubs, MLB After Going Blind From A Foul Ball That Hit His Face At Wrigley

By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 9, 2017 6:40PM

Getty Images / Photo: Jonathan Daniel

On the same day that the Chicago Cubs return to postseason play at Wrigley Field, a Schaumburg man announced a lawsuit against the team and Major League Baseball over an August incident in which he was struck in the face by a foul ball. The injury left him blind in one eye, the man said on Monday, according to reports.

John "Jay" Loos, 60, was struck while attending a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 29. He was seated in Section 135, which looks over the first-base line (see map below). Loos alleges negligence due to a lack of sufficient safety netting along the field. He seeks $50,000 in damages, according to the Tribune.

Screenshot / MLB

Whether or not stadiums have an adequate amount of netting became a major topic late in the season after a particularly scary episode in Yankee Stadium, where a two-year-old girl was seriously hurt after being struck in the face by a 105-mile-per-hour line drive in September. The girl suffered facial fractures, including a broken nose.

Cubs official Crane Kennedy said in the wake of the Yankee Stadium injury the Cubs would extend netting by 30 feet along both the first and third-base lines for next season, according to the Sun-Times.

As for the Cubs' lawsuit, a settlement could be in the works, although no official resolution has been reached. Loos' attorney said at a press conference that he thinks the team wants to do "the right thing," the Tribune reports.