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Bat boy dies after being struck by bat in Kansas baseball game

Kaiser Carlile. (Via Facebook)
Kaiser Carlile. (Via Facebook)

A young bat boy has died of injuries sustained when he was struck by a bat at a National Baseball Congress World Series game in Wichita, Kan., on Saturday afternoon.

Kaiser Carlile, age 9, was a bat boy for the Liberal (Kan.) Bee Jays. He was struck in the head on a follow-through swing near the on-deck circle by a player who didn't notice him, and although he was wearing a helmet, sustained severe injuries. Carlile died from the injuries on Sunday.

The game's home-plate umpire, Mark Goldfeder, a 25-year paramedic, treated the boy until paramedics could arrive and transport him to the hospital.

The National Baseball Congress is the organizing body for a collection of amateur and semi-pro teams. On Monday, the organization decided it would suspend the use of bat boys for the rest of the World Series "out of respect for the Bee Jays." There are also plans to honor Kaiser on Monday and Tuesday, the National Baseball Congress said.

The Liberal Bee Jays were one of many teams participating in the World Series and were in the midst of a game against a team from San Diego when the accident happened. Kaiser was rushed to a local hospital, and after a long conference in the outfield, the team decided to play on. Liberal defeated San Diego in 13 innings, 13-5, and advanced to play on Sunday.

Before their next game, however, the team received the news that Kaiser, who worked all summer as the team's bat boy, had died.

“This is a 9-year-old kid, small in stature, who just wanted to be one of the guys,” said Mike Carlile, general manager of the team and Kaiser's uncle. “Kaiser can’t wait to get to the ballpark every day. Watching him interact with the guys on the team is comical. They kid each other, gig each other.… Kaiser and our head coach (Adam Anderson) were very tight. It was special. This is just a crappy deal.”

Bee Jays broadcaster Brock Kappelmann told Bob Lutz of the Wichita Eagle that Carlile had been a hit with the team and fans in his first season of working as a bat boy.

“The crowd would erupt,” Kappelmann said. “They just love him. He’s been a sparkplug for our team. And one of the players described to me on the post-game Saturday, Kaiser is the life of the team. He’s a fun-loving kid and every time we saw him he brought a smile to our faces.”

Kaiser's parents were at the Bee Jays' game Sunday night, as were the parents of the unidentified player who struck Kaiser. The team won the game 8-0.

A grieving BeeJays player later posted his thoughts on Instagram:

Kaiser, you were a little brother I never had. You took the field with us every game this summer. You were, and always will be a Bee Jay. No person or team could ask for a better bat boy. It is terrible to see you leave in such a way, but knowing your last moments were on the baseball field makes it easier through this whole process, because you were doing what you loved. It hurts to see someone so young and with so much heart pass like you did, but you are now in God's hands, and being the bat boy for the angels up above. We all love you, and you will be greatly missed. R.I.P. Kaiser Carlile."

The news of Carlile's death also produced an outpouring of sympathy on Twitter.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

And keep up with Jay over on Facebook, too.