Power of Caring
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Costly error

Woman hit in face by wild pitch awarded $2.7 million

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Posted: Thursday April 22, 1999 09:05 AM

Williams, referred to by many as "Wild Thing," has always been known for his unpredictable arm. Jeff Hixon/Allsport

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- A woman struck in the face by a wild warmup pitch at a Florida Marlins game was awarded $2.7 million by a jury for injuries that left her with lingering headaches and concentration problems.

Linda Postlethwaite was injured by an errant pitch from former Philadelphia reliever Mitch Williams, who was warming up in the bullpen during a Phillies-Marlins game Aug. 8, 1993.

Ms. Postlethwaite, 48, actually will receive $972,000 from Tuesday's verdict. She previously reached confidential settlements with Williams, the Marlins, former Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga and stadium designer HOK Sports.

Only the settling parties and their lawyers know whether their deals were more or less favorable than the money they would have had to pay toward the jury verdict, said Bob Kelley, Ms. Postlethwaite's attorney.

The jury found Huizenga most to blame, at 36.5 percent, followed by Robbie Stadium Corp. at 31.5 percent, Kelley said. The Marlins were deemed 27.5 percent responsible and the Phillies 4.5 percent. Williams and HOK Sports were assessed no responsibility.

Williams, nicknamed "Wild Thing" because of his scattershot arm, was warming up in the eighth inning when he uncorked a pitch that sailed into the stands. It struck Ms. Postlethwaite between the eyes and sent her to the hospital with a broken nose.

More than five years later, the former PaineWebber stockbroker still has headaches and problems with her concentration, Kelley said. "She hasn't worked since the accident," he said.

Testimony during the nine-week trial showed that a week before the game, the net over the bullpen was lowered so it wouldn't block fans' views.

Someone from the Marlins' front office ordered the net reduced from 13 feet to 10 feet, then Huizenga ordered it down to 8 feet, according to an architects' memo, Kelley said.

Ms. Postlethwaite, sitting in a club seat near the Phillies' bullpen on the third-base side, was not protected by the net.

"The net was not high enough, so when Mitch threw the pitch that day, it went right over the top and hit her in the face," Kelley said.

The Robbie company will owe Ms. Postlethwaite $850,500 and the Phillies will owe her $121,500, for a total of $972,000. If they stayed in the case, Huizenga would have had to pay approximately $985,500 and the Marlins would have owed about $742,500.

Messages left for defense attorneys were not immediately returned.

 

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