updated 12:07 a.m. ET June 27, 2009

ST. LOUIS - A 34-year-old man fell headfirst from the upper deck at Busch Stadium on to the concourse below before the St. Louis Cardinals played the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.

Chris Hoffman of O’Fallon, Ill., was taken to a hospital for observation. Joe Walsh, director of stadium operations, said Hoffman was being treated for an injury to his left shoulder, a gash to his face and assorted bumps and bruises.

Witnesses said it appeared the man fainted in the 92-degree heat, although the team said it was unclear whether the fall was related to the weather. Walsh said the fan fell on to an empty seat after grazing a nearby female fan.

The fan apparently toppled over a front-row railing and fell about one story to the concourse while a youth choir was singing “God Bless America.” The fan was strapped to a gurney and wheeled away shortly after the game began.

St. Louis had its 10th straight day of temperatures in the 90s, which is not unusual this time of year. The Cardinals turned down a request by the city’s public safety director to reschedule weekend day games to evening hours to best avoid heat-related problems because it was too late to alter television and stadium workers’ schedules.

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