6-year-old hospitalized after hit in head by baseball at Knights game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 6-year-old boy is recovering from a severe head injury after officials said he was hit by a baseball at a Charlotte Knights game over the weekend.

Officials said they are staying in contact with the boy’s family and helping them in any way possible.

The boy, James David, was in the BB&T Ballpark stands near third base Sunday when the ball struck him, and he’s been in the hospital since then.

The incident happened just after the team installed extra-protective netting, but the boy and his family were not sitting behind it.

Last month, major-league teams added the netting for field-level seats within 70 feet of home plate.

Knights officials weren't required to do so but spent $10,000 to install the net with an extra 10 feet after fans had left other ballparks with game-related injuries.

“Whether you are a spectator or participant, it is a game of risk,” one fan said. “You have to know those risks at the time that you're there.”

On Wednesday, a few Knights' players and team mascot Homer stopped by the hospital to check on James and said he was improving.

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• 6-year-old hospitalized after hit in head by baseball at Knights game

Cox Media Group