The Minneapolis Tribune routinely published the names and addresses of people involved in accidents and crimes in the late 1800s and early 1900s. If you were editor, would you name the kid who threw the fatal pitch in this tragic story? The reader’s representative of 2005 would no doubt advise against it.

DEATH IN HIS PLAY

WILLIE WILLIAMS, 10 YEARS OLD,
KILLED BY A BASEBALL

He Was Struck Over the Heart by a
     Pitched Ball, and Fell Lifeless a
     Few Seconds Later – The Deceased
     Was a Pupil at Corcoran School,
     and a Bright Little Fellow – Prev-
     ious Experiences Had Shown That
     He Was Not Physically Strong.

A ball, thrown by Leon Fontaine, a boy of 13 years of age, struck William Joseph Williams over the heart yesterday morning and caused his death almost instantly.

The fatal accident occurred while a number of small boys were playing ball in the rear of 3034 Twentieth avenue south, the residence of Joseph Williams, a blacksmith at the Milwaukee shops. His son, about 10 years of age, was at bat and Leon Fontaine was pitching. Fontaine delivered a speedy ball, which the batsman tried to avoid, but as the ball neared him it curved and struck him on the left side immediately above the heart. Young Williams uttered a cry, staggered for a few seconds and fell to the ground. His companions gathered about, but could do nothing, as death came almost instantly.

Mounted Officer Williamson was called, and through him Deputy Coroner Nelson was notified, who gave it as his opinion that the boy had died from the shock. Young Williams has never been strong, it appears, and a short time ago was hurt in a boys’ scramble, and a year ago was hit in the stomach with a ball, and the injury at that time caused him much pain and trouble. Fontaine, the youth who threw the ball, and to whom is attached not the slightest blame, is the son of P.B. Fontaine, a newspaper man of Milwaukee.

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