Second thoughts

Caveman clobbered from sky

It was a most unusual error on a baseball field.

A skydiver parachuting in before a summer league game accidentally kicked shortstop Mattingly Romanin in the face, knocking him to the ground and, it turns out, ending his season.

The 20-year-old Mattingly said Wednesday he had a concussion and was trying to take the bizarre mishap in stride.

“Obviously I was a little upset and kind of frustrated about how the whole situation developed,” he said. “It was a freak accident.

It happens. There’s nothing really I can do, I’ve just got to move on and make sure I’m healthy and ready to play.”

Romanin and his Hannibal Cavemen teammates are part of the Prospect League, a summer wood bat league for college players with 11 teams in six states. Hannibal hosted the Terre Haute (Ind.) Rex on Saturday.

The Cavemen were on the field as the national anthem was played, followed by three skydivers jumping onto Clemens Field, the historic old ballpark in Mark Twain’s boyhood home of Hannibal, Mo., about 100 miles north of St. Louis.

“It was pretty cool,” Romanin said. “I’ve never been part of something like that. I was enjoying the experience.”

The first skydiver landed without incident. The second, however, was dropping in a hurry, too close to a group of players standing behind second base - Romanin, second baseman Jake Mangler and third baseman Jerod Smith.

Mangler and Smith jumped out of the way, but Romanin stood his ground - he said members of the skydiving crew told players to stand still because the divers would miss them.

Romanin said he tried to duck at the last moment, but it was too late. He was hit near the temple and knocked over. Medical personnel tended to him and he got up after several minutes.

Romanin recalled his immediate response: “Wow, really? That just happened ?”

Then he seemed to recover, playing all nine innings but going hitless in Hannibal’s 7-3 loss.

Headaches worsened that night and persisted. He said a doctor on Monday determined he had a concussion. After consulting with his coach at Chicago State, he decided to shut down for the summer season. Romanin also suffered a concussion in the spring after being hit in the head by a pitch.

Romanin hit .218 in 38 games with the Cavemen. At Chicago State, Romanin hit .284 last season as a sophomore after hitting .311 as a freshman.

The better barker

From Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind.: “University of Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison was suspended for two games after being arrested for barking at a police dog.

Morrison’s defense was the dog barked first, police reported.

“That means it’s Morrison’s word against the dog’s and both are crying woof.”

Add bark

The Florida state attorney’s office has dismissed charges against University of Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison, who was arrested last weekend after allegedly barking at a police dog and resisting arrest.

“Let me guess,” wrote Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com, “the state attorney is not a Florida State grad.”

Quote of the day

“We got a taste of how close you can get and not quite get it done.” Georgia Coach Mark Richt on last season’s SEC Championship Game

Sports, Pages 18 on 07/25/2013

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