It’s August 7, 1982. The sun is beating down on Fenway Park. You’ve got a massive crowd, over 33,000 people, just soaking in a Saturday afternoon game between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Red Sox second baseman Dave Stapleton steps up to the plate. He swings. Hard. He catches a piece of it—a screaming line drive that doesn't go toward the Green Monster. Instead, it rockets into the stands just behind the first-base dugout.
Most people don't realize how fast a foul ball actually moves. We're talking less than a second from the crack of the bat to impact. In those stands, four-year-old Jonathan Keane was sitting with his dad and brother. He never saw it coming. The ball caught him right above the left eye with a sickening thud.
The sound was so loud that some fans thought the ball hit the concrete ledge of the dugout.
The Split-Second Choice
Jim Rice was a powerhouse. In the late '70s and early '80s, he was arguably the most feared hitter in the American League. But he was also known for being a bit prickly with the media. He wasn't exactly the "warm and fuzzy" type of superstar.
That changed in about ten seconds.
While everyone else was frozen in shock—the kind of paralysis that happens when you see something truly horrific—Rice didn't wait. He didn't look for an usher. He didn't wait for the EMTs to navigate the cramped, narrow aisles of 1980s Fenway.
He vaulted over the dugout railing.
Rice reached into the second row, scooped up the bleeding boy, and did something that would be unthinkable in today's highly regulated, "wait for the trainer" sports world. He didn't wait for a stretcher. He carried Jonathan straight back into the Red Sox dugout.
Why the Jim Rice Foul Ball Heroics Mattered
If you’ve ever been to Fenway, you know the layout is tight. It’s an old park. If Rice had waited for the paramedics to get through the crowd, it could have taken five, maybe ten minutes.
That time didn't exist.
Jonathan’s skull was fractured. The bleeding was heavy. By bringing him directly to the team's medical room, Rice bypassed the "bystander effect" and got the kid under the care of Dr. Arthur Pappas immediately.
Pappas didn't mess around. He took one look at the kid, called Boston Children’s Hospital, and had an ambulance ready at the back of the park. Within 30 minutes of being hit, Jonathan Keane was in neurosurgery to relieve the pressure on his brain.
"I’ve hit home runs. I’ve driven in runs. But as far as something that stands out, it’s probably the picture when I went up into the stands and took the kid out of the stands... I probably saved his life." — Jim Rice
The Blood-Stained Jersey
There’s a photo of this moment that still gives Red Sox fans chills. It’s grainy, black and white, and it looks like a dispatch from a war zone. It shows Rice, a mountain of a man, cradling this tiny, limp child.
But here is the part that sounds like a movie script: Rice went back out and played the rest of the game.
He didn't change his uniform. He played the final five innings with Jonathan’s blood on his jersey. Honestly, it’s one of those details that feels almost too heavy for a baseball game, but that was Jim Rice. He was 1-for-4 that day with two RBIs. The box score doesn't show the most important thing he did, but the city of Boston never forgot it.
What Happened to Jonathan Keane?
People always ask if the kid turned out okay. It’s the first thing anyone searches for when they see that photo of the Jim Rice foul ball incident.
The recovery was actually kind of miraculous. Jonathan spent five days in the hospital. He had a scar, sure, but he didn't suffer permanent brain damage. A year later, the Red Sox invited him back to Fenway. He was five years old then, and he got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Jim Rice was there to catch it.
Decades later, Jonathan is a successful guy living in North Carolina. He co-founded a staffing agency and has a family of his own. He’s gone on record many times saying he doesn't remember the impact—which is probably a blessing—but he knows he wouldn't be here without Rice's instincts.
The Logistics of a Life-Saving Move
So, why don't we see this happen more often? Well, for one, the nets are way higher now. After years of similar incidents, MLB finally mandated extended netting to protect fans from these kinds of "rockets."
But back in '82, you were basically on your own if you sat that close.
Medical experts have since weighed in on Rice's decision. While moving a head-injury victim is usually a "no-no" in first-aid training, the speed of getting Jonathan to a surgeon was the deciding factor. The pressure from a brain bleed is a ticking clock. Every minute Rice shaved off by sprinting to the clubhouse was a minute of brain function saved.
Legacy of a "Prickly" Legend
Jim Rice eventually made it into the Hall of Fame in 2009. It took him fifteen years on the ballot to get in. Critics often pointed to his relationship with the press as a reason for the delay.
But if you ask any Red Sox fan who was alive in 1982, they don't care about his slugging percentage or his MVP award. They remember the guy who saw a child in trouble and acted like a father instead of a ballplayer.
👉 See also: NASCAR Playoff Standings 2025: Why Denny Hamlin’s Heartbreak Was Real
Rice also quietly paid the family's medical bills. He didn't announce it to the press. He didn't use it for PR. He just took care of it.
Actionable Insights for Fans Today
If you're heading to a game, the world is a lot safer than it was in 1982, but the risks aren't zero. Here is what you should actually do:
- Pay attention to every pitch: Even with nets, bats can shatter and fly over the top. If you’re in the "danger zone" (the first 20 rows between the dugouts), put the phone away while the ball is in play.
- Know the "Sox" rule: In modern stadiums, if someone is hit, do not move them unless there is an immediate secondary threat (like a fire). Call for a medic and stay still. Jim Rice was an exception because he had a direct line to a world-class surgeon 50 feet away.
- Check the netting: If you’re bringing kids to the park, look for seats behind the "screened" areas. Most stadiums now have maps showing exactly where the netting ends.
The story of the Jim Rice foul ball is a reminder that sports are just games until they aren't. Sometimes, the greatest play of a Hall of Fame career happens when the ball is dead and the clock is ticking.