Surely, you can remember the incident we are referring to here. The tragic fall of the 20-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates fan from the 21-foot Clemente Wall at the PNC Park. Don’t you still get chills? Now, a couple of days have passed, and reportedly, he is awake. And amidst that, a new conspiracy theory is roaming around, raising questions regarding whether the fan was drunk or not, which may have led to the fall.

Kavan Markwood, the man who fell onto the ground, has been recovering well after being hospitalized at the Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. Jennifer Phillips, his mother, revealed, “After everything he’s been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him, but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto.”

Well, the MLB community was more worried about the fan’s condition than the game itself. Pirates’ chairman, Bob Nutting, shared his concern and requested everyone to come together, supporting each other and keeping Markwood in their prayers. Not long after, a thorough investigation revealed that although Markwood didn’t purchase any drinks by himself, he consumed two beers from others during the game. However, his mother denied these claims, mentioning her son was fully “alert” and “awake.”

Phillips also shared, “He still has a long road ahead of him, but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto.”

There were some other updates, too. Markwood was there with three others – one male and two females. Reportedly, the man other than Markwood purchased drinks multiple times. He bought three Surfsides and four beers, taking into account the two-drink limit.

While the Pirates club thinks he may be slightly inebriated, nothing unusual was reported from the stands. Apparently, Markwood even celebrated normally when Andrew McCutchen hit the ball shortly before the fall.

So, should we pay heed to the rumors or be more cautious about the safety protocols?

Did the Pirates follow proper safety protocols during the game?

Well, the incident wasn’t the first time. We have seen multiple such occurrences and even some fatalities. Be it the 2011 incident during the Athletics and Rangers game or the 2015 incident when the Braves faced the Yankees. This seriously raises questions regarding the safety protocols.

As per investigations of this case, Kavan Markwood did not show any intoxicated behavior; it was his excitement during the game that led to the accident. In other reports, the club itself prevented two fans from entering the stadium on Tuesday night due to being drunk.

The Pirates spokesperson cleared the air, mentioning that the safety protocols WERE followed. For example, a specific limit was mentioned when purchasing drinks. Even the food service provider, Aramark, stated, “We are committed to creating a fan experience that is both enjoyable and safe, and our long-standing a—— compliance program is fundamental to that commitment. Our thoughts remain with the fan and his friends and family.”

Going by the way things are looking, no one seemed to be at fault. It’s just that the fans need to be a little bit more cautious, and the clubs and stadiums, a little more protective. So, while we are at it, let’s practice the same to ensure safety and no future lapses like this. 

But if you have any thoughts related to the incident, feel free to share them with us.