Report: Fan Struck in Head by Foul Ball at Dodgers Game Died of Blunt Force Injury

A California woman died after being struck in the head by a foul ball in August at Dodger Stadium.

A California woman died after being struck in the head by a foul ball last August at Dodger Stadium, reports Outside the Lines' William Weinbaum.

Linda Goldbloom, 79, died Aug. 29. The coroner's report states the cause of Goldbloom's death as "acute intracranial hemorrhage" and "history of blunt force trauma." ESPN reports the injury occurred when Goldbloom was hit with a baseball at an Aug. 25 game at Dodger Stadium.

According to ESPN, the accident happened in the top of the ninth inning when a Padres' batter fouled a ball to the first-base side of home plate off Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen. The ball flew over the protective netting and hit Goldbloom.

Her daughter, Jana Brody, told ESPN that ushers came down, asking if she was all right. When Goldbloom said no, EMTs came and took her to the hospital but she threw up in the ambulance. She died a few days later after her family took her off machines.

The Dodgers made no public comment when Goldbloom died but released a statement to ESPN on Monday: 

"Mr. and Mrs. Goldbloom were great Dodgers fans who regularly attended games. We were deeply saddened by this tragic accident and the passing of Mrs. Goldbloom. The matter has been resolved between the Dodgers and the Goldbloom family. We cannot comment further on this matter."

Brody told ESPN the family wouldn't comment on any agreement or possible legal action.

Goldbloom's death came after the league announced last February that all 30 MLB stadiums have netting extended to the far end of each team's dugout. That decision came after a young fan was hospitalized after she hit by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium. 

Brody said she hopes to see more protective netting going forward.

"I'd love to see the netting extended vertically, and we know it doesn't block the view," she told ESPN. "Raise it a little higher—what's the hurt in that?"

An earlier version of this story said, based on the originial story, that San Diego's Franmil Reyes hit the foul ball that struck Goldbloom. New information from ESPN has raised uncertainty about the identity.