Planning and preparation for the upcoming deer season is in full swing these days with hunters across the country hanging, checking and moving treestands as they prepare for opening day. And that seems to be what former MLB pitcher, Ben McDonald, was up to when he took a fall recently from a treestand.
The former pitcher, now broadcaster and bowhunter, says he is recovering well after a very scary fall from a treestand.
McDonald shared a video of himself on social media while recovering in the hospital with a caption reading, “This is what a severe concussion looks and sounds like.”
The video captures the impact of McDonald’s concussion, displaying his confusion and uncertainty of what happened. He’s surrounded by family and friends doing their best to explain the details.
In the video, you hear an off-camera voice telling McDonald that a chain or strap on his deer stand broke causing his fall.
Last year, McDonald shared of his love for bowhunting with Bowhunter Magazine.
“It’s the challenge for me,” he explained. “I’ve always been a competitor in my life. I played basketball at LSU, I played baseball at LSU, and I played baseball in the major leagues As a competitor, you’re always looking for the biggest challenge to go do certain things,” he said. “I shot a lot of deer with a rifle when I was a kid, but I started bowhunting in 1990 and all I do is bowhunt now. I’ve not picked up a rifle to shoot a deer in 25 years because I just like the challenge of getting the animal close to me. That’s what makes me tick.”
McDonald was drafted first overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989 after three seasons at LSU. He would later pitch for seven years with the Orioles before finishing out his MLB career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
This incident serves as a reminder to always wear a safety harness, use a lineman’s climbing rope, and utilize a Lifeline on every treestand.
