US baseball: batsman hit by 145-km / h-litter in the face

A shocking moment in American professional baseball: Atlanta Braves batsman Charlie Culberson was hit in the middle of the face by a 145km / h throw in the Washington Nationals game and went down in pain.

ERIK S LASER / EPA-EFE / REX

Culberson is thrown backwards by the impact of the hit

He had tried to hit the ball with a special technique in which the racket is not swung, but only held, so that the ball bounces off briefly ("colorful"). But the ball shot over his bat and hit Culberson with such force that he was thrown backwards.

The throw of the pitcher Fernando Rodney was a so-called fastball, which often reaches speeds of 140 km / h, occasionally the balls are up to 160 km / h fast. The balls have a core made of rubber or cork and are wrapped with yarn and leather - a hard bullet, weighing just under 150 grams.

While Culberson was being treated, players of both teams knelt down concerned and hid the face in their hands.

Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

An assistant presses a towel on Charlie Culberson's wound

"We prayed for him and his family, which was pretty awful," said Braves manager Brian Snitker. Since the throw was rated as strike against batsman Culberson, Snitker protested violently - and was expelled from the field.

After prolonged treatment, the nose bleeding, but apparently not seriously injured Culberson was driven out of the stadium and gave even with a raised thumb all-clear in the direction of the pitcher who had hit him.

For the Braves the day had a happy ending: With the 10: 1 in Washington, the team from Georgia qualified as the second team after the Los Angeles Dodgers for the play-offs.