Editing Hit by pitch (section)

==Dangers==
[[File:Lane Thomas (48327188887).jpg|thumb|right|[[Lane Thomas]] of the [[Memphis Redbirds]] is evaluated for injury after being hit by a pitch in a 2019 game.]]
One major-league player died as a result of being struck by a pitch: [[Ray Chapman]] of the [[Cleveland Indians]] was hit in the head by [[Carl Mays]] on August 16, 1920,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/B08160NYA1920.htm |title=Cleveland Indians 4, New York Yankees 3 |date=August 16, 1920 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> and died the next morning.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beaned by a Pitch, Ray Chapman Dies |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/08.17.html |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=17 August 1920}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-16-1920-ray-chapman-suffers-fatal-blow-to-his-skull-on-pitch-from-carl-mays/ |title=August 16, 1920: Ray Chapman suffers fatal blow to his skull on pitch from Carl Mays |first=Joseph |last=Wancho |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref>

Serious injuries may result from being hit by a pitch, even when wearing a [[batting helmet]]. On August 18, 1967, [[Boston Red Sox]] batter [[Tony Conigliaro]] was hit almost directly in the left eye by a fastball thrown by [[Jack Hamilton (baseball)|Jack Hamilton]] of the [[California Angels]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1967/B08180BOS1967.htm |title=Boston Red Sox 3, California Angels 2 |date=August 18, 1967 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> His cheekbone was shattered; he nearly lost the sight of the eye, was unable to play for over a year, and never regained his earlier batting ability.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-18-1967-tony-conigliaros-career-and-life-threatened-by-beaning/ |title=August 18, 1967: Tony Conigliaro's career, and life, threatened by beaning |first=David |last=Mendonca |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> At the time, batting helmets were not required to have an "ear flap"; it was not until 2002 that all major-league batters were required to wear helmets with side-protection. [[Ron Santo]] was the first player to wear a helmet with an improvised ear-flap; he had it made after he was struck by a pitch from [[Jack Fisher]] of the [[New York Mets]] on June 26, 1966,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1966/B06261CHN1966.htm |title=Chicago Cubs 7, New York Mets 0 (1) |date=June 26, 1966 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> which briefly knocked Santo unconscious and left him with a fractured cheekbone.

Other notable injuries include: 
* [[Mickey Cochrane]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]] was hit in the head by a pitch from [[Bump Hadley]] of the [[New York Yankees]] on May 25, 1937.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1937/B05250NYA1937.htm |title=New York Yankees 4, Detroit Tigers 3 |date=May 25, 1937 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> Cochrane nearly died from his injuries and never played again; he was inducted to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1947.
* [[Kirby Puckett]] of the [[Minnesota Twins]] was struck in the cheek by a [[Dennis Martínez]] fastball on September 28, 1995,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/B09280MIN1995.htm |title=Cleveland Indians 12, Minnesota Twins 4 |date=September 28, 1995 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> breaking his jaw and loosening two teeth. It was Puckett's last regular-season game; during [[spring training]] the following year he developed [[glaucoma]], which ended his career; he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
* [[Mike Piazza]], then with the Mets, was hit in the head by a pitch from [[Julián Tavárez]] of the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] on September 10, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2005/B09100SLN2005.htm |title=St. Louis Cardinals 4, New York Mets 2 |date=September 10, 2005 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}</ref> Piazza's helmet shattered and he suffered a [[concussion]]; he went on to play in MLB through 2007 and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Other comparably minor injuries that are possible include broken fingers or hands, broken feet, broken ribs, injuries to the knee, or [[groin]] injuries.