Double Tragedy Strikes the World of Sports

By - Brad Heerschop

On Monday, two tragic incidents occurred in the world of sports, both of which deserve mention in any forum.

For the third time in the last year, a fan has fallen from a stadium in Atlanta. This time, to their demise.

Photo by: David Goldman

30-year-old Ronald Homer fell roughly 65 feet from a fourth-level railing at Turner Field. At least four people have confirmed to police that the fall was merely accidental, and that nobody was standing near Homer when he went over the railing.

Showers had led to a 2-hour delay in the game, and Homer was seeking refuge under the awnings of the upper deck during the storm.

It is unknown if alcohol was involved.

One thing is clear; it's time for Turner Field to increase the height of their guard rails. This is not the first such incident at the stadium, and you can bet it won't be the last. Not until some precautionary measures are taken to at least hinder the possibility of such tragic events.

North of the border, in the Maritime province of New Brunswick, tragedy struck on the ice.

Jordan Boyd, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Acadie-Bathurst Titan, died after collapsing during a rookie camp skating session.

As per an announcement from the team: "The 16-year-old was skating during an individual training session when he suffered a discomfort and collapsed on the ice. The Acadie-Bathurst Titan medical team tried to revive him several times. The young man was transported to the hospital where his death was confirmed by a doctor."

Boyd was a very well liked kid, and was noted for being a large, offensive-minded player with a propensity for hard work.

He is survived by his parents.

Moments like these are certainly not something columnists enjoy writing about. Nevertheless, it is necessary in order to pay homage to the unfortunate and untimely deaths of two young men, taken far too early.

Photo from: nydailynews.com

Our thoughts are with the families and friends.