This same exact thing nearly happened to me 2(?) years ago. I was at the Metrodome for the annual Brewers/Twins game there. A buddy and I were sitting 2nd row, in the corner right above the twins dugout (basically perpendicular to the way the batter was facing). Craig Counsell came up to bat. Being the slap hitter he is, he got a ball outside and just kind of threw his bat at it. The only thing I remember seeing is white, but my buddy and I ducked out of the way. This ball was cooking, and an old guy behind us tried to catch it with his bare hand. The Metrodome ushers came down and asked this guy if he wanted medical attention, but he refused. Needless to say, this was pretty eye-opening. If I wouldn't have been paying attention to the game, I could have caught a ball right in the melon. Of course, my mom had told me to bring my glove to that game and I scoffed, saying that the only way we would get a ball would be if it was a lazy pop-up, and in that case I would catch it with my hand. Pretty scary thing. Seems like that boy is in good spirits. I hope he makes a full recovery.