Pete Stendel returns to action at Yankee Stadium, Kay welcomes him back

YES Network’s brave cameraman Pete Stendel, who was hit in the head by an unintended throw earlier this summer at Yankee Stadium, returned to work at the same stadium two months later.

Following a frightening incident in July that left him with an orbital injury and a concussion, Pete Stendel made his return to the camera in The Bronx on Thursday. Pete Stendel was behind the camera covering the game between the Yankees and the Tigers.

Pete Stendel was welcomed back by Kay

Michael Kay greeted Pete Stendel announcing that the cameraman had been sidelined for a while but that he was back. The cameraman acknowledged his words waving to the camera and the audience. He added that Pete Stendel was in better shape than before rocking a mustache and conveyed the baseball fans’ affection for him and their immense joy at his recovery.

Kay also mentioned that the cameraman was back to work because he was a genius in his field. Additionally, He added that Pete Stendel is a wonderful person and stated that it feels good to see him.

We love the man, we’re so thrilled that he’s recovered,” Kay announced. “Made his way back to work because he’s a genius at what he does. And he happens to be a hell of a guy, too. … Great to see you, Pete. Good man.”

In a game on July 5 against the Orioles, Baltimore infielder Gunnar Henderson threw the ball inaccurately, which made it fly high and hit Pete Stendel, who is 68 years old, in the head.

Welcome back, Pete Stendel 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/94G9O9NNEw

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 7, 2023

The cameraman’s tough recovery

After being struck, Pete Stendel fell backward and instinctively held onto his head. Play was halted for approximately 15 minutes while he received medical attention. Subsequently, he was taken off the field on a cart and has not returned to work since the incident.

Amidst the worry and concern of players from both the Yankees and Orioles, the medical staff carefully tended to Pete Stendel. He was gently secured to a stretcher, and then placed onto a truck that moved slowly along the dusty track. Despite the intense pain and shock from the incident, Pete Stendel realized that many children were likely in the audience that night. He didn’t want their lasting memory of the baseball park to be a tragic event. With this in mind, he raised his right hand, offering a peace sign, followed by the “hang loose” symbol (a nod to his passion for surfing). The crowd responded with enthusiastic applause and began chanting “MVP.”

The path to recovery has proven exceptionally challenging for Pete Stendel, a devoted father of two and a married man. Still, he takes pride in the fact that he received a standing ovation at Yankee Stadium—an honor few can claim. Yet, he hopes that no one else will ever have to endure the same harrowing experience.

He expressed gratitude that surgery wasn’t necessary to repair his orbital bone. However, he struggled with opening his eye and experienced a concussion that made him feel much older than his years.

The surgery to address his prostate cancer complicated matters further. Pete Stendel spent most of his time on the couch or in bed as he recuperated, a stark contrast to his usual role in the midst of the action.

In January, doctors detected early-stage prostate cancer through Pete Stendel’s prostate-specific antigen test, which showed higher-than-normal levels. He kept this information largely to himself, not wanting to burden those close to him with worry. A month later, he learned that the cancer was spreading rapidly, prompting him to choose surgery for prostate removal.

Originally scheduled for surgery on July 24, Pete Stendel had planned to take a month off work for recovery. However, just 19 days before the surgery, the camera he typically used at Yankee Stadium overheated and stopped working. His supervisors gave him two options: go home or share camera duties with colleagues to give their eyes a break. Pete Stendel decided to assist briefly, intending to return to his original post. It was during this brief stint that he was struck on the head.

As people, including Michael Kay and Costas, prayed for him and marveled at his resilience despite a skull fracture, they remained unaware of another challenge he was facing—his cancer diagnosis. Pete Stendel decided to share his prostate cancer diagnosis with  The Athletic, hoping to raise awareness about the disease.

Despite his eye injury, Pete Stendel successfully underwent a prostatectomy to remove the cancer from his body. Although he had initially planned for a short break from work, the reality was a much longer absence.

The GoFundMe page created by his friend Tommy Hanlon proved instrumental, garnering over $25,000 from 274 separate donations. Following the incident, the YES Network compensated Pete Stendel for the two subsequent games he was scheduled to cover. However, as a freelancer, he had no further games lined up after those two.

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