Major Leaguers Who Died As Active Players...Take a look at the first one

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Look at the first one...1903 Ed Delahanty

Deaths among active baseball players

— Josh Hancock: Cardinals pitcher was killed April 29, 2007, in an auto accident.

— Cory Lidle: Yankees pitcher died when his private plane crashed into a

building in New York on Oct. 11, 2006.

— Darryl Kile: Cardinals pitcher died June 22, 2002, in his Chicago hotel room at age 33. Kile's cause of death was listed as coronary atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart muscle.

— Mike Darr: Padres outfielder, killed in a car crash Feb. 15, 2002.

— Mike Sharperson: Infielder with Toronto, Atlanta and Los Angeles, killed in a car accident May 26, 1996.

— Cliff Young: Indians pitcher, killed Nov. 4, 1993, when his truck crashed in Texas.

— Steve Olin and Tim Crews: Indians pitchers, killed in a boating accident March 22, 1993.

— Thurman Munson: New York Yankees catcher, killed when a plane he was piloting crashed Aug. 2, 1979.

— Lyman Bostock: Angels outfielder, killed in a drive-by shooting Sept. 23, 1978.

— Mike Miley: Angels shortstop, killed in an auto accident Jan. 6, 1977.

— Danny Frisella: Brewers pitcher, killed in a dune buggy accident Jan. 1, 1977.

— Bob Moose: Pirates pitcher killed in an auto accident Oct. 9, 1976.

— Roberto Clemente: Pirates outfielder, killed Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane carrying relief supplies crashed on the way to Nicaragua.

— Ken Hubbs: Cubs second baseman, killed in a plane crash Feb. 15, 1964.

— Charlie Peete: Cardinals outfielder who played 23 games with the team in 1956, died Nov. 27, 1956, in an offseason plane crash. His wife and three children also died in the crash.

— Tom Gastall: Orioles catcher, killed in a plane crash Sept. 20, 1956.

— Walter Lerian: Phillies catcher, killed in an auto accident Oct. 22, 1929.

— Marvin Goodwin: Reds pitcher, killed in a plane crash Oct. 18, 1925.

— Norman Boeckel: Boston Braves third baseman, killed in an auto accident Feb. 15, 1924.

— Austin McHenry: Cardinals outfielder, a .350 hitter in 1921, was hitting .303 when a brain tumor was discovered 64 games into the 1922 season. He died Nov. 27, 1922.

— Ray Chapman: Indians shortstop, killed by a pitched ball Aug. 16, 1920.

— Ed Delahanty: Senators outfielder, killed July 2, 1903, when he fell over Niagara Falls.

Sources: Post-Dispatch archives, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel

Research by Matthew Fernandes / Post-Dispatch News Research

[skinnypig]

If i remember the story right Ed Delahanty was kicked off a train for being drunk and either fell or jumped off a bridge

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Good memory...

---The game also has its mysteries.  It will never be known if Ed Delahanty (A) took his own life or was murdered.  There were seven Delahanty brothers from Cleveland, four of which followed Ed into the Major Leagues.  He once said regarding their upbringing, "We were given bats instead of rattles."  In 1888 Big Ed began his ML career as both infielder and outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies where he played 13 of his 16 years in the game.  He was one of the great hitters of the time once hitting four home runs in one game – and that was in the deadball era.  The elder Delahanty hit over .400 times four times, is the owner of the fourth highest career batting average in baseball, and is the only man to win batting titles in both leagues.



Like many of his contemporaries their lives were a mixture of baseball and alcohol.    In June of 1903 he was suspended for excessive drinking and missing a game, and was also angry and upset due to contract and marital problems.  He was in Detroit on July 2, 1903 when he bought a train ticket to Buffalo.  As they neared Fort Erie, Ontario, Delahanty was apparently drunk and began terrorizing the other passengers.  The conductor put him off, but as the train continued to enter the United States Big Ed followed down the tracks on foot.  He went past a night watchman that yelled that the span was open for an oncoming boat.  Big Ed Delahanty was never seen alive again.   



A week later his mangled body was found in the Niagara River below the Falls near the docked Maid of the Mist.   His money and jewelry was missing, and he had recently taken out a large insurance policy with his daughter as the beneficiary.  Was he robbed and murdered, was it a suicide, or simply was it an accident by a drunken and disorderly person?   Officially it was listed as "death by accident", but the real answers will be never known.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

Here is another weird one...

---The most bizarre baseball death might be that of Len Koenecke (A) who died aboard a small plane high over Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Len was an outfielder with the Brooklyn Dodgers for most of 1935, but near the end of the season he was released for "behavior and erratic play."  The Dodger left St. Louis by passenger plane, but was ordered off in Detroit because of intoxication.  Len chartered a three-seater plane for Buffalo that included both the pilot and the co-pilot.  The ballplayer began to play with the airplane controls, and would not stop when ordered.  Koenecke and the pilot's pal were soon fighting on the floor.  Knowing that it was either him or us, the pilot grabbed a fire extinguisher and while still flying the plane he continued to whack on the offender's head hard enough to knock him out.  When the pilot finally landed near Toronto, Koenecke was dead at the age of 31.

[BradyHolzhauer]

Look at the first one...1903 Ed Delahanty

Deaths among active baseball players

— Josh Hancock: Cardinals pitcher was killed April 29, 2007, in an auto accident.

— Cory Lidle: Yankees pitcher died when his private plane crashed into a

building in New York on Oct. 11, 2006.

— Darryl Kile: Cardinals pitcher died June 22, 2002, in his Chicago hotel room at age 33. Kile's cause of death was listed as coronary atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart muscle.

— Mike Darr: Padres outfielder, killed in a car crash Feb. 15, 2002.

— Mike Sharperson: Infielder with Toronto, Atlanta and Los Angeles, killed in a car accident May 26, 1996.

— Cliff Young: Indians pitcher, killed Nov. 4, 1993, when his truck crashed in Texas.

— Steve Olin and Tim Crews: Indians pitchers, killed in a boating accident March 22, 1993.

— Thurman Munson: New York Yankees catcher, killed when a plane he was piloting crashed Aug. 2, 1979.

— Lyman Bostock: Angels outfielder, killed in a drive-by shooting Sept. 23, 1978.

— Mike Miley: Angels shortstop, killed in an auto accident Jan. 6, 1977.

— Danny Frisella: Brewers pitcher, killed in a dune buggy accident Jan. 1, 1977.

— Bob Moose: Pirates pitcher killed in an auto accident Oct. 9, 1976.

— Roberto Clemente: Pirates outfielder, killed Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane carrying relief supplies crashed on the way to Nicaragua.

— Ken Hubbs: Cubs second baseman, killed in a plane crash Feb. 15, 1964.

— Charlie Peete: Cardinals outfielder who played 23 games with the team in 1956, died Nov. 27, 1956, in an offseason plane crash. His wife and three children also died in the crash.

— Tom Gastall: Orioles catcher, killed in a plane crash Sept. 20, 1956.

— Walter Lerian: Phillies catcher, killed in an auto accident Oct. 22, 1929.

— Marvin Goodwin: Reds pitcher, killed in a plane crash Oct. 18, 1925.

— Norman Boeckel: Boston Braves third baseman, killed in an auto accident Feb. 15, 1924.

— Austin McHenry: Cardinals outfielder, a .350 hitter in 1921, was hitting .303 when a brain tumor was discovered 64 games into the 1922 season. He died Nov. 27, 1922.

— Ray Chapman: Indians shortstop, killed by a pitched ball Aug. 16, 1920.

— Ed Delahanty: Senators outfielder, killed July 2, 1903, when he fell over Niagara Falls.

Sources: Post-Dispatch archives, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel

Research by Matthew Fernandes / Post-Dispatch News Research

I gave you a shout out at my new job for the great info you dug up on this.
-B
www.mvn.com/thepitch
(read at the end)

[Oklahawg]

February 15 is a bad day for baseball players. Three deaths on this list on that day.

Clemente still haunts me.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

February 15 is a bad day for baseball players. Three deaths on this list on that day.

Clemente still haunts me.

Here is the one that haunts me.

[ThisLittlePiggie]

I gave you a shout out at my new job for the great info you dug up on this.
-B
www.mvn.com/thepitch
(read at the end)

Brady...maybe you've seen this site. If not.

http://www.chatterfromthedugout.com/before_their_time.htm

[Oklahawg]

TLP, that picture is amazing. Spooky, in fact.

Time to go hug the kids.

[hawkeyefan17]

I forgot about Mike Darr. If I remember right he had one good year before he died. It's always sad when people with such talent die young.

[pigture perfect]

This is a great thread. I appreciate it guys. Clemente still hurts as well as DK. That picture of him warming up as the Hearst goes by reminded me how nobody knows when it's their turn. Eerie.

[mword]

February 15 is a bad day for baseball players. Three deaths on this list on that day.

Clemente still haunts me.

Here is the one that haunts me.

That's kinda scary.