Video Shows Pirates Fan Fall From Wall as Accident
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PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Pirates fan fell onto the field at PNC Park last week, but many questioned how it all hapapened.
The Pittsburgh Pirates faced the Chicago Cubs on April 30 and trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pirates designated Andrew McCutchen hit a ball that ricocheted off of Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson's glove and trickled out into the outfield. This scored both right fielder Bryan Reynolds and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, giving the Pirates the tying and go-ahead runs.
Kavan Markwood sat in the front row of the Roberto Clemente Wall seats, or right field wall seats, and reacted with great excitement to the play.
KDKA TV News released a video that shows Markwood jump up to celebrate,but appeared to lose his balance in the air and when he came back down, his legs hit the top of the bar and he fell down 21 feet onto the field.
You can see the video here, via KDKA TV News.
The Roberto Clemente Wall stands 21 feet high, in honor of the retired jersey of the Pirates Hall of Fame right fielder.
This video disproves theories that Markwood intentionally jumped onto the playing field and also played a role in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police treating the incident as "accidental."
Ushers, police and medical staff from both ball clubs immediately rushed and addressed the situation. They would place the 20-year old male on a stretcher and carted him off the field, with EMS transporting him to nearby Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side.
Markwood has made progress since going to the hospital a week ago, with Jennifer Phillips, the organizer of his GoFundMe, giving updates when she can.
Phillips reported that Markwood was awake and speaking on May 3 and then she reported that he took his first steps since the fall and that he's improving, thanks to the health of all his caregivers.
Markwood suffered a broken neck, clavicle and back, which will lead to a lengthy healing process.
The GoFundMe, as of May 7, is up to $46,303 of a goal of $55,000 from 1,200 donations that will, "help to assist with any medical bills and financial hardships that this family is experiencing right now."
Markwood graduated from South Allegheny High School in 2022, where he played football and earned Team MVP honors.
He originally played for Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, and then enrolled at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, W.Va., both Division II programs.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.