Boy Injured by Foul Ball Gets $1 Million From Jury

A boy who was struck in the head with a baseball before a Florida Marlins game in 1997 has been awarded more than $1 million by a jury at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Andrew Klein was awarded $1.05 million Thursday from the team and stadium by the state court jury. He has permanent brain damage since being struck by a ball during batting practice as he took part in a pregame program at Pro Player Stadium.

Andrew, then 8, had been selected to take part in the Marlins’ “Bullpen Buddies” program, where he and about 100 other children were brought down near the field to ask questions of team officials and receive player autographs.

But the St. Louis Cardinals were taking batting practice while the program was taking place and a line drive hit by Ray Lankford came into the stands and struck Andrew in the head.

*

Colorado pitcher John Thomson has been arrested after driving his Corvette into a house in Tucson, Ariz., Denver station KUSA-TV reported.

Thomson, 26, was alone and nobody was hurt, the Rockies said in a statement. The team said the accident might be alcohol related.

KUSA aired home video of a Corvette sticking out of a single-story house.

*

Several wheel assemblies are damaged on the retractable roof at Enron Field, the Houston Astros’ new ballpark, and designers plan to check more than 100 others. The damage will not cause any postponements of games.

The assemblies were stored outside for more than a year during the ballpark’s construction. The current problems are partly because of rainwater damage.

The new downtown field debuted last week in an exhibition game between the Astros and New York Yankees.

The next game is the home opener today against the Philadelphia Phillies.

*

Pittsburgh re-signed reliever Brad Clontz to a minor league contract after he was released by Arizona following a poor spring training. . . . New York Mets’ left-hander Al Leiter will miss his scheduled start Saturday against the Dodgers because of a strained groin. . . . Philadelphia’s Curt Schilling, pitching for Class-A Clearwater, Fla., gave up two runs in 3 2/3 innings against St. Petersburg in his first minor league rehabilitation start. Phillies’ reliever Jeff Brantley, who had surgery last May 26 on his right shoulder, replaced Schilling and pitched one inning, allowing one hit. . . . The San Diego Padres signed Korean first baseman Young-Jin Jung and assigned him to extended spring training in Peoria, Ariz.