Arabic version: لاعب بيسبول من أديلايد يفقد البصر إثر حادث كرة خاطئة
According to ABC News, Adelaide Angels Baseball Club member Tyler Forney has permanently lost vision in his right eye after being struck by a foul ball off his own bat during a double-header against Woodville on Saturday.
Close friend and long-time teammate Chris Congdon said Forney was in the batter’s box in the second game when the ball ricocheted from his bat and hit his right eye. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and underwent significant eye surgery that evening. Congdon described the incident as a “horrific freak accident” that left club members who witnessed it mortified.
Forney joined the Adelaide Angels in 2016 after moving from Arizona in the United States. Congdon said the college baseball player had been an integral club member and a major contributor to its success over the past five years, praising his athletic ability and defensive play at shortstop.
A GoFundMe page established to help cover Forney’s medical fees had raised more than $16,200 by Friday afternoon. Congdon said Forney had not realised the extent of his impact on people in the club and the wider baseball community, and was grateful for the support.
Forney is recovering with support from his partner, two children and three stepchildren. Congdon said his playing career may have ended, but the club was discussing a possible transition into coaching, saying Forney was a private and reserved person whose words carried weight when he spoke.
