The vending machine, about one and a half metres tall and 80 centimetres wide (five by two feet), fell for unknown reasons in the entryway at the sporting hall in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on the baby boy.
His father, who was standing directly next to the child, suffered a shock, police said.
The boy was immediately taken to a hospital but died a short time afterwards. The sporting hall was closed for the rest of the weekend.
