This happened last Saturday in MY game. I vote screen or mandatory pitcher protection. This guy was a very good player, pitcher with good reflexes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36791138

A Loudoun County (Virginia) man died Saturday after a freak accident on the softball diamond.

Well-known custom home builder George Crisp, 55, was pitching in adult softball game when a ball was batted back at him.
"George pitched the ball, the guy hit a line drive toward him, he turned his head to avoid it -- just like you would, tried to put his glove up," said Crisp's friend David Pittman, a pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Herndon, Va. "Didn't get his glove up in time and it hit him right here, right underneath the ear."

The line drive hit Crisp in the throat, just below his jaw, rupturing his carotid artery. Blood flooded his brain in seconds. Crisp, a father of six, died a few hours later in a local hospital.

"It happened so quickly," Pittman said. "In just one 12-hour period and he's gone from being the life of the party to being in home in heaven."

My prayers and best wishes go out to his family, friends and team mates. Life is so short make the best of it.

I was afraid we would hear something like this before the right thing was done. So Sorry.

Jawood, what are you calling the "right thing"? To deaden the bats, if anything?

Herb Score was hit by a liner in the 50s, and I don't see screens on MLB fields. Tony Conigliaro was hit by a pitch in the face in the 60s, and I don't see MLB players wearing helmets with cages like little leaguers.

It is VERY unfortunate, but things happen. It is not cause for over-reaction.

Our prayers also to his family.
Back in the early 80's when the hot balls came out, there were 2 deaths confirmed in the country due to being hit by the ball. I was selling the 'hot' balls in a sports store at the time. I called the national office and it was confirmed to me that neither one was one of the new 'hot' balls that were available. Nowhere do I see what bat was used and what ball. I do still say you could turn down the bat a couple notches and still have an offensive and fun game.

I hate to hear about this and my prayers go out to George's family and friends. But I agree with Dirty the hot bats are the problem. I play 3rd base and have had line drives go by me so fast I could not move my glove,luckily they were not right at me. A screen is not the answer in competitive softball,maybe reck ball,co-ed etc
Joncon,was MR Crisp playing with the young guys like 30 year olds, and was the batter a runner. I belive that if the running in box was stopped this would help,a lot of the time a runner will be 4-6 feet in front of plate when he hits the ball and Umps never call them out of box. I'm not talking about one step but a batter starting in back of box and running 3 or 4 steps. MHO

Please show some respect for the family and keep the politics out of it. My prayers and condolences goes out to the Crisp family.

A. No one is disrespecting. NO one!

B. I doubt if the family will ever read this thread.

Didn't want to get in the discussion about what should be done at this time, Dirty, especially on this thread. We will in time.

my condolences to the family!!!!!!!!

Jawood,understood.

To George's family I am very sorry to hear of this incident. As a pitcher I say that George took the hit for all pitchers, and identifies that if a screen were used there could have been a difference.

What a tragedy! Prime of his life and now gone. My prayers and sympathy for his family. I'm sure all my fellow pitchers understand and grieve for George, even as they consider their own risk.

Prayers and condolences to the family,players, and anyone who witnessed this tragic event. I read (softballfans.com)that it was a one pitch tournament and George was hit by his own teammate on a low outside pitch. 44/375 ball. Makes you stop and think that life is to short and we need to enjoy every moment.

Nothing of this tragedy relates
politically in any way to senior
softball.
How sad!
Prayers and condolences to his
family and friends.

Dirty, I disagree with your stand on pitcher protection and the examples you use to justify you stand. You know that neither Score nor Conigliaro were killed, and both were able to play subsequent seasons. Conigliaro was hit on the left cheekbone and that is why Major League Baseball use batting helmets with flaps. Major League did institute protection.
Now a senior player is killed and you say it is not cause for over reaction.

Clearly the death is very unfortunate. But the survival of Conigliaro and Score was by just a matter of inches, if not fractions.

The point is, unless the special bats are eliminated, any other rules are just throwing out the baby with the bathwater.