Years ago at North Miami Amateur on the hardball court. I threw a left side from around the 10 line, low and hard, it bounced right in front of the guy around the 7 line, he tried to catch it right after the bounce and 'scoop' it....but instead he tipped it, but just barely tipped it and it made almost no sound. When he did it changed the direction of the ball and it came right at me, hitting me just above the eye, basically square on the eyebrow. Between the speed and not much sound when he tipped the ball I never saw it coming. It felt like what I would imagine a gunshot hit would feel like. Knocked me down and 'out' for a second or two. When I came to my senses a few seconds later I was covered in blood. Was wearing white pants and a green Orlando jai-alai tshirt and they were both now completely red. Needed 14 stitches. Before getting to the hospital I basically had a huge flap of skin just dangling from above my eye. Got 'lucky' that it was just inches from being a teeth or nose shot, or could have caught me right in the eye. Got unlucky that it was just below the helmet, a couple inches higher and it would have hit the helmet instead of my face. Still have a scar but it is mostly hidden in the eyebrow.
