Minor League Coach Killed by Linedrive
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by Niteowl049
Baseball Notebook
Former Major Leaguer Killed by Linedrive
Being a first base coach looks like one of the cushier jobs in baseball but not on Sunday night. Tulsa Drillers first base coach Mike Coolbaugh was struck in the head by a linedrive and stopped breathing upon arrival at the hospital. Coolbaugh had joined the team as a coach on July 3rd.
Coolbaugh had played for Cardinals and Brewers in 2001 and 2002. His brother Scott played for Rangers, Padres and Cardinals.
There are few safe places on a baseball field. Back in 1951, Andy Strong, a player for the Crowley Millers in the Evangeline League, was killed during a game by a bolt of lightning. Since I have seen many games played at Bringhurst Park where the accident occurred that accident has been etched in my memory.
Major league baseball has been fortunate in that the only player killed in a game was Ray Chapman who was killed by a pitch to his head by Carl Mays on August 16, 1920. Back in those days pitchers immediately discolored the balls making them harder to see but after the death of Chapman the practice was outlawed.
Branch Rickey better known for bringing Jackie Robinson to the majors also started a batting helmet company in 1952 and the Pirates were the first team to wear them in a major league game.
It is remarkable that only Chapman has been killed by a pitched ball. It is also remarkable that fans at games that are unprotected by a screen haven't been killed as far as I know. I was in the stands for pregame batting practice at an Astros game when Ozzie Virgil of the Braves hit a line drive that hit a kid in the stomach making an awful thud. The kid returned to his seat after getting medical treatment and seemed to be alright.
Helmets are great but not in Tony Conigliaro's case when in the act of getting away from the pitch to his head by Jack Hamilton his helmet became dislodged and he was hit full force in the head by the pitch and didn't play for 18 months after that game. He was 22 at the time and never was the same player again.
Herb Score of the Indians a pitcher probably on way to Hall of Fame was hit in the face by a line drive off the bat of Gil McDougald and never was the same pitcher again although he did have arm injuries that shortened his career. Score won 36 games in his first two major league seasons and struck out 508 over those two seasons. In his last six seasons he would win only 19 more games. He was so effective in 1956 that he gave up only 162 hits in 249 innings an amazing 87 more innings pitched than hits allowed.
In contrast to the major leagues many 13 minor leaguers have been killed by a pitch along with 2 umpires.
As far as I know no football player has ever been killed by a football but 14 professional players covering majors and minors have been killed by a baseball. So when you see a player batting against a pitcher throwing 90 MPH they are only a pitch away from a debilitating injury.
Yankees, Red Sox Both Win Third Straight Games
It is hard to believe that Edwin Jackson was the only Tampa Bay Devil Rays player to come away with a win over the Yankees this weekend. It was only his second win in 18 starts this season when he won Friday night. But since then the Yankees outscored the Rays 45-12 in the next three games. Shelley Duncan hit three home runs in the last two days for the Yankees finally reaching the majors after playing in minors for seven seasons. Duncan spent four seasons in A ball before advancing to the next level in the Yankees system. He was second in International League with 25 home runs before being called up by the Yankees.
Red Sox almost let a win slip away from them yesterday when the White Sox scored three late inning runs but held on to take an 8-5 win over the White Sox. They now hold a seven and a half game lead over the Yankees and both teams are on the road with Yankees traveling to Kansas City to face an improving Royals team who are in a last place tie in AL Central with White Sox. Tonight the Yankees will send Roger Clemens 2-4 to the mound in what should be an easy win for him but three of his four losses have come at the hands of second division teams.
Red Sox travel to Cleveland to face a tough Indians team having the extra added pressure of playing a tougher team than the Yankees while scoreboard watching. Red Sox are starting Jon Lester making his first start since August 23rd of 2006 season so it is uncertain how well he will do in his first outing this season.
