A female Seattle Mariners fan got drilled in the head by a foul ball while taking a selfie video and had to go to the hospital. Now she’s getting hate on social media.
In the fifth inning of a recent game between Seattle and San Diego at T-Mobile Park, a foul ball from Padres third baseman Sung-mun Song struck Mariners fan Jamie Golla in the head.
When it happened, Michaela Pollard, a friend of Golla’s, was taking a selfie video to send to a friend. She captured the exact moment she was hit by the baseball. Golla said the T-Mobile Park staff acted promptly, giving her an ice pack and asking whether she needed further medical care. She initially declined, but she felt queasy and lightheaded after going back to her seat.
Ballpark staff ended up getting her a wheelchair and called an ambulance. Golla was taken to nearby Harborview Medical Center for treatment shortly after being hit. She reported that although she is doing well, she is still experiencing swelling and some pain.
The video has now been viewed over 29 million times on Instagram (with Golla’s permission, according to the Seattle Times). Unfortunately, as is the case with just about anything on social media, there have been negative reactions.
“There are people wishing me a speedy recovery, but there’s also a lot of hate that comes with social media,” Golla said. “There are people telling me to pay attention, calling me names, body shaming me and friends, being sexist and bringing politics into it too, which I really don’t understand.”
The Mariners fan responded to negative comments on social media
In a follow-up Instagram story, Jamie Golla explained what happened and responded to people claiming that she was just looking to sue. She even attended another Mariners game just a couple of days after the incident.
“I never said I was going to sue, because I’m not. I understand I was at a baseball game and sitting in a section where foul balls can land,” she said. “My friend invited us to the game to enjoy ourselves and watch the game, and we were paying attention. You can even see my head following the ball in the video.
“At the time, my friend was recording a quick video response to another friend who had messaged us. Unfortunately, I was hit by the ball, and afterward my friend shared the clip on Instagram lightheartedly.”
She added, “To everyone commenting ‘pay attention to the ball’ or ‘get off your phone’, thank you for the advice.”