Boy dies after being hit in chest by softball
Written by DJ Special Blend from Chicago on April 23, 2009
Maurice Davenport was looking forward to high school and stepping “into the next phase of his life,” according to his principal.On Wednesday night, the 14-year-old was playing in the first softball game of his school’s new team when he was hit in the chest with the ball. He was rushed to a hospital and died about an hour later.
An autopsy was scheduled today for Maurice, who lived in the 8500 block of South Parnell.
Maurice had been playing at Fernwood Park, 10436 S. Wallace Ave., when the ball was hit to him and he was struck in the chest, witnesses told fire officials, according to Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
The boy was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 6:11 p.m., according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Maurice was an all-round athlete who was about to graduate from 8th grade at Garrett Morgan Elementary School, 8407 S. Kerfoot Ave., said Morgan Principal Linda Walker.
Maurice, who also played on the school’s football and basketball teams, was playing in the first game of the school’s new softball team, Walker said.
Maurice was student of the month for his class last September, and many of his family members also attended Morgan, said Walker, who has been at the school since 1981.
“We’re a real neighborhood, family kind of school here. A lot of these kids, I had their parents here and now they’re sending their kids here,” Walker said. Read more…
Reader's opinions
Leave a Reply
You must be logged into post a comment.
The Go-To-Man Mattie T. On April 23, 2009 at 2:15 pm
This is so sad. I’m about to start my 5th season playing softball for my job’s co-ed league & will definitely keep this story in mind the next time i even think about diving for a ball.