A cameraman normally only has a few things to do during a baseball game -- point the camera at the players, adjust the focus, keep his eye on the ball. And, in this case, watch out for flying baseball bats.

Steve Angel, the fantastically bearded camera operator you're about to meet, was the man whose recording gear got smashed up -- and not in the way you're expecting.

New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner was batting against the Texas Rangers during the American League Championship Series game Tuesday night. After clubbing the ball, he released his bat ... which just happened to sail right at the protective glass guard of the very expensive camera Angel was operating.

But rather than switch off the camera and inspect the damage, Angel (luckily unhurt) carried on like a trooper, continuing to shoot through the tiny hole the bat left in the glass. What a guy.