Court Opinion

ID: 9525358
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:02:33.176865+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:14:24.514667
License: Public Domain

NEAL, Judge,
dissenting.
I concur in the opinion and the reasons stated therein. I wish here to note a more *333fundamental reason to affirm the result. All sports involve running, collision, tumbling, and a general throwing about of bodies. Some sports involve the use of equipment such as hard balls, bats, sticks, pucks, and the like, which are capable of inflicting injuries. Injuries in sports are not only predictable, but are a certainty. Any person who has participated in varsity sports for any length of time at all can attest to one or more injuries he has received with varying degrees of severity. All baseball players have been hit by balls or bats, injured while sliding or colliding on the base path, at a base, or with other fielders while fielding the ball. We are even treated to the amusing spectacle of professionals in the major leagues in a world series colliding with each other while attempting to catch a fly ball, while the ball falls untouched for a hit among them. By the very nature of play, no coach or manager can possibly prevent such occurrences. All persons who play ball know this and assume the risks.
To hold a school responsible in tort, for injuries incurred in the normal course of play, borders on the absurd. I would place the grounds for denial of relief on assumption of risk as a matter of law.