News Clippings

(5th May 1998)

Backman to Miss Opening of Spring Training Because of Spider Bite

Wally Beckman, manager of the Bend Bandits of the Western Baseball League, missed Tuesday's opening of spring training because of worsening complications from a spider bite.

Backman, who played 13 seasons in the major leagues, has made several trips to the hospital in recent days as his condition worsened. Backman was bitten in the forehead by a brown recluse spider several months ago.

He awoke in the middle of the night last Friday with a severe headache and experienced a large amount of swelling.

He had the same type of headaches shortly after he was bitten and underwent surgery to remove about an inch and a half of tissue in his forehead that had been killed by the venom. But the relapse indicates all the poison has not been removed.

More surgery is expected in about a week.