Played & Died During The Same Season

[webmaster]

Today I was asked on Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com), "Why did the 1932 Pittsburg Pirates where a black armband?" I advised I had no idea and sent them here to ask a Pirates expert. But I did check to see if anybody from the Pirates had passed away in 1932 who had also played in 1932. Nothing matched, but I was still curious about similar situations.

The list below includes each player who passed away in the same exact season they were playing in or had played in. This DOES NOT include players who died after the following year (finished season in October, but passing away in January / February / March), just those who passed away during the same calendar year.

Played & Died In The Same Calendar Year

Died : Name

1955 : Agganis, Harry (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=agganha01)
1967 : Bond, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bondwa01)
1949 : Bonham, Tiny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bonhati01)
1978 : Bostock, Lyman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bostoly01)
1930 : Carlson, Hal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=carlsha01)
1920 : Chapman, Ray (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=chapmra01)
1972 : Clemente, Roberto (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clemero01)
1892 : Collins, Hub (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=collihu01)
1891 : Daily, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=dailyed01)
1924 : Daubert, Jake (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=daubeja01)
1903 : Delahanty, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=delahed01)
1902 : Donahue, Tim (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=donahti01)
1933 : Finn, Neal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=finnne01)
1956 : Gastall, Tom (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gastato01)
1925 : Goodwin, Marv (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=goodwma01)
1937 : Hatter, Clyde (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hattecl01)
1940 : Hershberger, Willard (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hershwi01)
1970 : Hill, Herman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hillhe02)
2002 : Kile, Darryl (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=kileda01)
1935 : Koenecke, Len (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=koenele01)
1907 : Leary, Frank (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=learyfr01)
1920 : Leonard, Joe (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leonajo01)
1929 : Lerian, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leriawa01)
1922 : McHenry, Austin (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mchenau01)
1901 : McJames, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mcjamdo01)
1887 : McKinnon, Alex (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mckinal01)
1976 : Moose, Bob (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=moosebo01)
1979 : Munson, Thurman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=munsoth01)
1956 : Peete, Charlie (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=peetech01)
1909 : Powers, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=powerdo01)
1902 : Prentiss, George (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=prentge01)
1909 : Sebring, Jimmy (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=sebriji01)
1928 : Shocker, Urban (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=shockur01)
1891 : Smalley, Will (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=smallwi01)
1976 : Thompson, Danny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=thompda01)
1965 : Wantz, Dick (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=wantzdi01)
1890 : Williams, Gus (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=willigu01)
1993 : Young, Cliff (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=youngcl01)

Hope you found this to be interesting in a sad kind of way...

Sean
Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com)
"Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today."

[Weasel1956]

Interesting list....I think Clemente and Munson's deaths hurt the most of any in my lifetime.

[comish4lif]

If you could expand that list to include players who died in the offseason following a season in which they played, I can come up with three more that fall in the first week of January:

01 Jan 77: Danny Frisiella - MIL (Dune Buggy Accident)
05 Jan 75: Don Wilson - HOU (Apparent siucide)
06 Jan 77: Mike Miley - CAL (Auto accident)

[cubbieinexile]

Here is an article about some of those guys and others.

http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20020622&content_id=59906&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp

[wprsnpr99]

STL faithful should all mention - DK - Darryl Kile.

The freakish part of his death (in 2002) was that the last game he pitched was in STL...when the Angels came to town...and the Cardinals moved into first in the division...and Jack Buck also passed away - as if he was waiting for his Cardinals to move into first and couldn't until the "angels" came to town and his Cardinals were in first

[MikeCameronFAN]

Does Mike Darr not count because he died during spring training?

[csh19792001]

Lyman Bostock was murdered (shot and killed) in a car in Gary, Indiana. His father had been a great Negro League player. I read the perpetrator was charged with murder but pleaded insanity.

» September 23, 1978: The Angels 27-year-old OF Lyman Bostock, a .311 lifetime hitter, is killed by a shotgun blast while riding in a car in Gary, IN. The shot was meant for one of the other passengers in the car.

» June 20, 1980: Leonard Smith, the man who killed Angels outfielder Lyman Bostock with a shotgun blast on September 23, 1978, but was later acquitted of the crime by reason of insanity, is released from Logansport State Hospital and allowed to return to his home in Gary, IN, because psychiatrists say he is no longer mentally ill.

[curtschilling]

I remember a few years ago there was a player on baltimore who died of ephedra.

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

Steve Bechler was the Orioles pitcher who died of a heat stroke from the use of Ephedra. His family sued the company for $500 million and won the case!
How would you use $500 million?

[eephus75]

Dernell Stenson played 37 games for the Cincinnati Reds in 2003. A top prospect who had seen AA, AAA and the majors all in one season, he had hit a home run in the Reds last game. The Reds sent Stenson to the AFL, where he played for the Scotsdale Scorpions. He was murdered (apparently for his car) during the AFL season, 11/5/2003.

[MrRuss]

What about the Indians pitchers? They lost a couple in a boating accident (I think I remember Ojeda surviving that) and then I think Mike Hill (?) died in a car accident trying to light a cigarette.

[tulsacubfan]

If you could expand that list to include players who died in the offseason following a season in which they played, I can come up with three more
And:

13 Feb 64: Ken Hubbs - CHC (plane crash)

[Undefined]

STL faithful should all mention - DK - Darryl Kile.
I was at his last game and have a completed scorecard. It is very special to me.

[Big_Mac]

STL faithful should all mention - DK - Darryl Kile.
he was one of my favorites, i was absoluty shocked when i heard he died.

[Zito75]

What about the Indians pitchers? They lost a couple in a boating accident (I think I remember Ojeda surviving that) and then I think Mike Hill (?) died in a car accident trying to light a cigarette.


The Indians pitchers were Steve Olin and Tim Crews. They were both decapitated when their boat slammed into a dock while they were drinking and boating at night. Tragic.

[RuthMayBond]

The Indians pitchers were Steve Olin and Tim Crews. They were both decapitated when their boat slammed into a dock while they were drinking and boating at night. Tragic.Would they be considered as "pitched" that year since it was spring training and not the regular season?

[Brian McKenna]

Would Addie Joss technically be eligible for the Hall of Fame? I believe the wording is something like taking part in ten campaigns. He died during spring training of his tenth season. Was that his tenth campaign? By the way, he is one of the most overlooked of the deadball pitchers.

[RamMan12]

On what wprsnpr99 and Big_Mac said, the day I found out Kile died was one of the worst days of my life. And I'm not even a fan of teams he played for but I just really respected him and thought he was a great pitcher. He is one of my all-time favorite players.

[History Of Baseball Fan]

Addie Joss of the Cleveland Indians died in 1911.

[HDH]

Urbane Shocker began his career as a catcher then hurt his finger, permanently deforming it. The crook in the finger improved his grip and he became one of the best pitchers during the 1920s in spite of pitching for the mostly mediocre St Louis Browns during the best offensive decade. He became a full time starter at the age of 28 then died of heart failure at the age of 38 in 1928, his fimnal year in MLB.

[charlesTG126]

Does Mike Darr not count because he died during spring training?

Mike Darr was a shocking loss, not only to the Padres, but to the entirety of the MLB and the world. He was actually one of my favorite players even before he died.

But yeah, he should count.

[bluto1972]

First of all, Steve Bechler did not die of ephedra. Steve Bechler died of multiple organ failure resulting from heat stroke, which was probably contributed to by his ephedra use.
Secondly, Bechler has no Major League experience, and therefore is not a Major League player.

Good try though.


Steve pitched for the Orioles in 2002. He was in 3 games pitching 4 2/3 innings with a 13.50ERA and 3 strikeouts.

[bhss89]

How many players have died from injuries suffered during a game? Line drives or beaners?

[caribeño]

Miguel ( Mickey ) Fuentes made his debut in the 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots . A tall , lanky lefthander pitcher he was supposed to become a regular Major League starter . Unfortunately he was killed during the off season in a bar brawl in his native town of Loíza , Puerto Rico . :(

[Bluesteve32]

On this list is two Angels, Lyman Bostock and Dick Wantz. Wantz died of a brain hemmorage and appeared in only one game.

Three others died during the offseason or in ST car crashes, Chico Ruiz, Mike Miley and Bruce Heinbechner (who still had yet to make is MLB debut, was killed in an auto accident in ST, but was slated to make the squad). Also, might as well add Minie Rojas, who just died a couple of years ago, but he was paralyzed in an auto accident which killed three of his kids and ended his promising career. Until Donnie Moore (another tragic figure) broke his record for saves in 1985, Minnie was the save leader for the Angels in a single season.

The Angels were truley a star-crossed franchise. 2002 exorcised those demons. The Cowboy would be proud.

[Erik Bedard]

And nobody has mentioned Harry Agganis.

He deserves to be at the top of that list, and not just because it's in alphabetical order. Do you know how old he was when he died? He was just twenty-five years old. He and Tony C. could be in the HOF if it weren't for Agganis getting TB and Tony C. getting beaned.

[125osprey]

I can still remember the day Munson died. I was playing catch outside with a friend and we heard it on the radio when we came in for a drink. I also remember seeing a poignant picture in the newspaper a couple of days later of Graig Nettles standing with his cap in his hand and his head bowed at a pregame service. Sad.

[soberdennis]

Some of these are well known.
Clemente and Munson died in plane crashes, Munson during the season while flying his own plane. I don't think the Yanks truly recovered from that for a long time.
Chapman died from a beaning sustained during a game. The Indians went on to win the WS anyway.
Delahanty was found drowned in the Niagara river.
Hershberger shot himself during the seaon, a victim of great depression. As was the case with Chapman, his team wonthe WS that year(Reds)
Of course the greatest from this list was Clemente.

[wamby]

Hershberger shot himself during the seaon, a victim of great depression.
Willard Hershberger didn't shoot himself. He cut his throat. To me, that seems like a much more violent way to end your life.

[VIBaseball]

There's a lot of confusion about how Agganis died. Many accounts say leukemia. However, it was a pulmonary embolism. He had pneumonia and a lung infection, and developed phlebitis in his legs. A blood clot broke loose from his leg and killed him.

[Erik Bedard]

There's a lot of confusion about how Agganis died.
And some say he had tuberculosis. I think you mean tuberculosis, not leukemia. A while before he dies, he said he was fine except for a cough and a "shooting pain in his leg". This certainly fits.

[wamby]

I can't remember (and am too lazy to look up) did Donnie Moore commit suicide before or after his retirement?

I believe it was after.

[Jetfanmack]

He was released from California in August, 1988, and he played in the KC minor league system in 1989, then he was cut in June, and he killed himself the next month.

[Lee SW IL]

I was at the game Darrell Kile died in Chicago.

I was also at the game on Friday, I was down by the dugout and took pictures of the players stretching out and warming up.

When we got home and got the film developed, we were in shock of the pitchers we got of DK. He wasn't necessarily the target, but they are awesome pics.

It was a weird day in Chicago that day. The anthem was sung, the field was cleared, then security guards lined the field, and we just sat for 20 +/- minutes. Joe Giradie, Cubs catcher at the time, made an announcement choking back tears, that due to a tragedy in the Cardinal family the game has been canceled. Details will be made later.

Amazingly, the Cards and Cubs played the Sunday night game on ESPN. Cubs won. Kile was supposed to pitch. Man what an emotional night. ESPN and the park played no music during the game out of respect for DK.

[the pyromaniac]

I was at the game Darrell Kile died in Chicago.
You could really tell that the Cardinals couldn't concentrate on the matter at hand that night. That's the most un-focused I've ever seen a team, in any sport. I was watching the game on ESPN that night and really rooting for the Cards just because I knew they needed it, but it was obvious their heads and hearts weren't in it.

[Utter Chaos]

The death of Len Koenecke was pretty bizarre.

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Koenecke.Len.Obit.html

[Captain Cold Nose]

Was Francisco Barrios on the White Sox roster when he was felled by a heart attack at 28? I remember Sports Illustrated rather flippantly dismissing him posthumously in an article about the White Sox staff in their division-winning 1983 season.
Lynn McGlothen was done, but that doesn't make his fire-related death any less tragic. I think he died trying to save his sister, but I'm not positive about that.

[Brian McKenna]

Was Francisco Barrios on the White Sox roster when he was felled by a heart attack at 28?


He was arrested for drugs in 1981. Died of an overdose in April 1982. Not sure if he was in spring training that year though.

[milladrive]

May we expand this list to include managers? Gil Hodges died a week before Opening Day 1972.

How about umpires? I think we'd be remiss if we didn't give mention to the great John McSherry, who died seven pitches into the first game of 1996.

:(

[s.f.]

May we expand this list to include managers? Gil Hodges died a week before Opening Day 1972.



Miller Huggins, Fred Hutchinson and Chuck Dressen would all be in that category.

And then there was Chick Stahl, who committed suicide during spring training in 1907 and left a note saying, "Boys, you drove me to it."

Add players who died while active (though not in the same calendar year he played): Pickles Dillhoefer. The Cardinals lost two active players in one year, Dillhoefer and McHenry, who was just emerging as an NL star.

[Dalkowski110]

Win Mercer was another rookie manager who killed himself before the season started. Mets top prospect Brian Cole died when his car flipped over.

The following deaths I know actually occured on the ballfield (aside from the famed Ray Chapman/Carl Mays incident):
-Johnny Dodge. Dodge was a former Big Leaguer playing second for some Minor League team when a wild and fast pitcher named Shotgun Rogers (down from the Majors for nearly 10 years) threw a pitch at his face and killed him.
-Jessie Batterson, a Cards Minor Leaguer, was killed by a pitch in the late 1920's by Minor League star pitcher Swede Carlson, down from the Majors for over a decade. Carlson was one of the people at Batterson's bedside when he died, and the incident redndered him so ineffective it forced him to retire from pro ball.
-Ottis Johnson, a Minor Leaguer in the Alabama-Florida League on the fasttrack to greatness, was beaned and killed by extremely wild pitcher Harry "Jack" Clifton, a pitcher/outfielder who pitched a no-hitter (and either lost or was close to losing) during his next outing.
-Big League catcher Mike "Doc" Powers died from an injury sustained on the field after colliding with the wall with the Philadelphia A's in 1910.

Suicides:
-Clyde "Pea Ridge" Day slashed his throat with a hunting knife after blowing out his arm.
-Marty Bergen, brother of famed incredible-field/absolutely-can't-hit catcher Bill Bergen, went berserk and murdered his wife and two children before doing himself in with an axe and razor.
-Terry Larkin, star pitcher of the Union Association, tried to attempt suicide at least four times (succeeding the final time) and tried to murder other people during those time periods, including two successfully.
-Edgar J. McNabb, who had pitched with the 19th Century Baltimore Orioles and was pitching with the Northwest League, got into an argument with his mistress (who was also the league president's wife) and shot her three times, paralyzing her and eventually killing her (a month or two after the deed) before shooting himself repeatedly and still managing to survive for 10 seconds.

[Brian McKenna]

And then there was Chick Stahl, who committed suicide during spring training in 1907 and left a note saying, "Boys, you drove me to it."

That's a lot of bunk - complete misquote

He said:

Boys, I couldn't help it. It (being drugs) drove me to it.

He was also having women troubles.

[s.f.]

That's a lot of bunk - complete misquote
I blame it on baseballlibrary, which uses the "you drove me to it" version and cites the stress of managing, based on something Stahl is said to have told his friend Jimmy Collins.

Harold Seymour, in a quick reference, said "there is reason to believe" the suicide involved a woman who was hounding him by claiming to be his pregnant wife, but he leaves it at that. Total Baseball says a Boston Magazine story eight decades after the fact tried to flesh out Seymour's version and suggested that a woman who was not Stahl's wife claimed to be pregnant by him and wanted him to marry her even though he had just married another.

I had not heard the drug version.

[Dalkowski110]

I believe Stahl's wife was also a drug addict. Whether she introduced him to it or vice versa I don't know, but she o/d'ed on whatever (morphine? opium?) two years later. As for the contents of Win Mercer's suicide note, he blames "women and gambling" for his reasons for killing himself. As for Don Wilson...no one will ever know the complete truth behind his death, which the police ruled accidental. If I remember reading correctly (although I may not), nobody reported him as despondent, and it came as a shock to all who knew him. The only basis for suicide was that his car was running in his garage, and the Carbon Monoxide killed him and his young son. I've also heard, although I've classified it under the "ridiculous," that Victor Starffin (Russian-born pitcher who was the first NPB pitcher to win 300 games) did himself in after suffering from over a decade of a form of PTSD contracted in his wartime detention camp.

[B.White]

Chick Stahl suffered from mental illness. The stories about women and drugs sells but no one has ever substantiated those claims with any primary documentation. There was a SABR article a few years ago which had material from Stahl's hometown paper - Fort Wayne - in which his friends said he had been talking about killing himself off and on for years.

Let me add to that though. In about 1902 he did have an old girl friend pull a gun on him.

I went and verified this myself. Go to Newspaperarchive.com and check out the Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette issue of March 30, 1907. Headlines included "Meditated Self-Slaying," "Chick Stahl Had Often Talked About Suicide," and "Ball Player had Entertained Dangerous Ideas About Self-Destruction." His friends - close hometown friends, not baseball associates - discussed periods of melancholy/depression that went back almost a decade.

The stories about drugs and women were, for the most part, bunk. Stahl was a sound business man who left his family well-off. That his wife had a sad ending just a few years after he did was beside the point.

Had Stahl been alive today, a simple antidepressant may well have done the trick. Writers always want macabre - that sells.

[milladrive]

Well, we'd be remiss if we didn't add Cory Lidle to this list. :(

[mojorisin71]

Miller Huggins, Fred Hutchinson and Chuck Dressen would all be in that category.

So would Bob Swift, who succeeded Dressen in 1966 in Detroit.

[RBi]

You know there are times when I am at work and I think about this site..

Today was one of them.

I was at work when I heard the tragic news about Cory Lidle's (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=lidleco01) untimely death.

And it was this very thread that first crossed my mind. I am not sure why, but it did.

So I felt that this would be the proper place for me to say my thoughts go out to his entire family and friends. May God be with you in this most devastating time.

:(

[soberdennis]

This is one list I don't think we ever want to add to. How well i remember Clemente and Munson. Now this. RIP Corey, you will be missed.

[phoneguy50]

The Astros pitcher died on Jan 5, 1975 in his home. I believe it was blamed on carbon monoxide poisoning and also killed his young son and injured both his wife and daughter.

[Erik Bedard]

On the subject of Wilson's death, this list is for the same calendar year, otherwise Wilson would be on it.

[Dalkowski110]

Wilson didn't die during the same season he played...he was simply on the roster when he died. Funny that Wilson should be brought up. His death is probably one of the most controversial with regards to it either being suicide or a terrible accident. The police concluded it was indeed an accident, which I agree with. Those who believe in the suicide theory claim he had the motive (getting yanked while pitching a no-hitter) and was despondent immediately afterward. But he seemingly rebounded and returned to normal afterwards. Not only was nothing out of the norm with regards to what his wife and neighbors said, but he was planning ahead on things like vacations, doctor's appointments, etc. As the son of someone who was a criminal profiler for nearly 30 years, a person who kills themself and has been planning it for months in advance doesn't do that. He made no finalizations on, well, anything. In fact, if memory serves correctly, he wanted to be traded. Also, he wasn't in his car when he left the motor running. He was in his garage, trying to find something, from the looks of it. Despite the rampant rumors of suicide, Don Wilson died in what appears to have been a horrible accident.

[anjo25]

Ken Hubbs<-- died Feb. 1964
All those Indians that had a fishing accident (Steve Olin....)

[anjo25]

John Clarkson and a friend, a Cubs catcher(dont remeber his name) went hunting one day and when the catcher wanted to board the train at the train station he slipped on the iced floor and fell under the train, both his legs where "cut" of by the train...though the catcher survived, Clarkson turned wacko after seeing this and died raving mad a some insane asylum at age 47...

Just thought I would post that in here...

[Brian McKenna]

John Clarkson and a friend, a Cubs catcher(dont remeber his name) went hunting one day and when the catcher wanted to board the train at the train station he slipped on the iced floor and fell under the train, both his legs where "cut" of by the train...though the catcher survived, Clarkson turned wacko after seeing this and died raving mad a some insane asylum at age 47...

Just thought I would post that in here...

The catcher was Charlie Bennett who played for Boston in 1893. The accident occurred on 1/9/1894. Clarkson pitched for Cleveland in 1894 and retired at mid-season at age 33 with 328 victories. He retired to Bay City, Michigan where he owned and ran a cigar store. He also operated a team in the Michigan State League for a time.

Clarkson's struggles were not related to the bennett accident. The mental problems Clarkson may have had were noticed by some such as Al Spalding in the late 1880s. Reports surface in 1906 that Clarkson was taken to a sanitarium on May 13, 1905 for a "mental disorder." Clarkson was supposedly still there as his death neared in early 1909. At that point he was brought home to Boston by his family. He died at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. The death certificate listed the cause of death as lobar pneumonia after six days. It also noted that he has suffered from general paralysis for six years.

[Brian McKenna]

I don't know his name, but didn't one of the coaches of the 1946 Red Sox die like a month after the World Series?

Tom Daly.........

[Dalkowski110]

Neither Crews nor Olin were decapitated. They were indeed killed by blunt force trauma. In fact, Crews died on his way to the hospital. Kinda hard to do that if you're headless...

[Brownie31]

Big Ed Morris, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, was stabbed during an
argument at a fish fry in 1932 and died at the hospital. He died on March
3rd so it just prior to the regular season.

Brownie31

[riredsox]

Does Joe Kennedy count? (No, I don't mean JFK's older brother).

[The Kid]

Josh Hancock, a pitcher for the Cardinals, died in a car accident during the 2007 season.

[Death to Crawling Things]

How many players have died from injuries suffered during a game? Line drives or beaners?

Hmm, I know of Chapman, of course. Gail Hopkins (who had Major league experience) died from injuries in a minor league game, I believe. Before, the Majors came into being Jon Creighton, who was more or less the first famous baseball player, died from injuries occurred in a game in 1862.

Probably others.

[Death to Crawling Things]

As far as attempted suicide:

In 1927, spring training, the White Sox CF Johnny Mostil attempted suicide with I think his razor. Supposedly, he was having an affair with Red Faber's wife, but I am not for sure on that.

[RuthMayBond]

Cal Drummand supposedly died from injuries sustained in a big league game.
As far as minor leaguers, Johnny Dodge in 1916, James Davis in 1947, Ottis Johnson in 1951

[philliesfiend55]

If you wanted to extend the parameters of this topic to players who played in one season, but then died the next year, but in the Winter before the next season began, then I believe you could include Walt Lerian and Pickles Dillhoffer. Both early 20th Century players who played one season and then died early the next year before the next season began. (Both were Pre-1930 Players).

[SDL]

Hmm, I know of Chapman, of course. Gail Hopkins (who had Major league experience) died from injuries in a minor league game, I believe. Before, the Majors came into being Jon Creighton, who was more or less the first famous baseball player, died from injuries occurred in a game in 1862.

Probably others.

Gail Hopkins is still alive :)

[RuthMayBond]

Gail Hopkins is still alive :)The reports of his death are greatly exaggerated?

[SDL]

The reports of his death are greatly exaggerated?

According to baseball-reference.com, he ain't dead..or that there's no date of death listed.

[RuthMayBond]

According to baseball-reference.com, he ain't dead..But I've come for his liver

[TULSA OILERS]

Former major/minor leaguer and minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh of the Tulsa Drillers was killed while coaching on the first base line at an away game in Arkansas. He had just joined the club and had only been with team a short time when it happened. Coolbaugh joined the Drillers on July 3, 2007 and the accident happened on July 22, 2007.

Both he and his brother Scott Coolbaugh had played for Tulsa at one point during their minor league careers. It was nice to have a Coolbaugh back in the Tulsa lineup.

[Lucas718]

Nick Adenhart is now unfortunately a member of this group.

[Reds5]

Gail Hopkins is still alive :)
He's an MD in the town i live in,Parkersburg,WV and is on the Board of Directors for Ohio Valley College.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Gail_Hopkins

[RuthMayBond]

Does this sound right? (just batters)

http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/bsl_finder.cgi#n1=&as=result_batter&offset=0&sum=0&min_year_season=1871&max_year_season=2009&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&lg_ID=lgAny&lgAL_team=tmAny&lgNL_team=tmAny&lgFL_team=tmAny&lgAA_team=tmAny&lgPL_team=tmAny&lgUA_team=tmAny&lgNA_team=tmAny&isActive=either&isHOF=either&bats=any&throws=any&exactness=anypos&games_prop=50&games_tot=&pos_pitcher=1&pos_catcher=1&pos_first_base=1&pos_designated_hitter=1&pos_second_base=1&pos_third_base=1&pos_shortstop=1&pos_left_field=1&pos_center_field=1&pos_right_field=1&pos_out_field=1&qualifiersSeason=nomin&minpasValS=502&mingamesValS=100&qualifiersCareer=nomin&minpasValC=3000&mingamesValC=1000&orderby=HR&layout=full&c1bsl=&c1gtlt=gt&c1val=0&c2bsl=&c2gtlt=gt&c2val=0&c3bsl=&c3gtlt=gt&c3val=0&c4bsl=&c4gtlt=gt&c4val=0&c5bsl=year_max&c5gtlt=eq&c5val=1.0&c5bsl_b=death_year&location=pob&locationMatch=is&pob=&pod=&pcanada=&pusa=

[philliesfiend55]

Today I was asked on Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com), "Why did the 1932 Pittsburg Pirates where a black armband?" I advised I had no idea and sent them here to ask a Pirates expert. But I did check to see if anybody from the Pirates had passed away in 1932 who had also played in 1932. Nothing matched, but I was still curious about similar situations.

The list below includes each player who passed away in the same exact season they were playing in or had played in. This DOES NOT include players who died after the following year (finished season in October, but passing away in January / February / March), just those who passed away during the same calendar year.

Played & Died In The Same Calendar Year

Died : Name

1955 : Agganis, Harry (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=agganha01)
1967 : Bond, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bondwa01)
1949 : Bonham, Tiny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bonhati01)
1978 : Bostock, Lyman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bostoly01)
1930 : Carlson, Hal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=carlsha01)
1920 : Chapman, Ray (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=chapmra01)
1972 : Clemente, Roberto (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clemero01)
1892 : Collins, Hub (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=collihu01)
1891 : Daily, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=dailyed01)
1924 : Daubert, Jake (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=daubeja01)
1903 : Delahanty, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=delahed01)
1902 : Donahue, Tim (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=donahti01)
1933 : Finn, Neal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=finnne01)
1956 : Gastall, Tom (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gastato01)
1925 : Goodwin, Marv (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=goodwma01)
1937 : Hatter, Clyde (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hattecl01)
1940 : Hershberger, Willard (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hershwi01)
1970 : Hill, Herman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hillhe02)
2002 : Kile, Darryl (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=kileda01)
1935 : Koenecke, Len (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=koenele01)
1907 : Leary, Frank (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=learyfr01)
1920 : Leonard, Joe (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leonajo01)
1929 : Lerian, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leriawa01)
1922 : McHenry, Austin (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mchenau01)
1901 : McJames, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mcjamdo01)
1887 : McKinnon, Alex (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mckinal01)
1976 : Moose, Bob (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=moosebo01)
1979 : Munson, Thurman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=munsoth01)
1956 : Peete, Charlie (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=peetech01)
1909 : Powers, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=powerdo01)
1902 : Prentiss, George (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=prentge01)
1909 : Sebring, Jimmy (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=sebriji01)
1928 : Shocker, Urban (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=shockur01)
1891 : Smalley, Will (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=smallwi01)
1976 : Thompson, Danny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=thompda01)
1965 : Wantz, Dick (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=wantzdi01)
1890 : Williams, Gus (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=willigu01)
1993 : Young, Cliff (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=youngcl01)

Hope you found this to be interesting in a sad kind of way...

Sean
Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com)
"Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today."

If you expand the parameters a little bit, you could include someone I'm aware of due to my research on the Phillies.
In 1918 the Phillies had a second year major leaguer at catcher named William "Pickles" Dillhoefer. He'd been a rookie with the Chicago Cubs the year before.
In 1919 he moved on from the Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals. After playing there for three seasons from 1919 to 1921, he died in February 1922, before the start of the next season.
You might find a few other players in this "Sad category" who played in one season, but died early the next year, before the following season began.

[hartman74]

Add pitcher Joe Kennedy to the list of players who both played and died in the same year.
Joe played for three clubs in 2007. The A's D-Backs and Blue Jays
his last game was September 29th and died November 23rd 2007.

[Beady]

Played & Died In The Same Calendar Year

Died : Name

1955 : Agganis, Harry (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=agganha01)
1967 : Bond, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bondwa01)
1949 : Bonham, Tiny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bonhati01)
1978 : Bostock, Lyman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bostoly01)
1930 : Carlson, Hal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=carlsha01)
1920 : Chapman, Ray (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=chapmra01)
1972 : Clemente, Roberto (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clemero01)
1892 : Collins, Hub (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=collihu01)
1891 : Daily, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=dailyed01)
1924 : Daubert, Jake (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=daubeja01)
1903 : Delahanty, Ed (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=delahed01)
1902 : Donahue, Tim (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=donahti01)
1933 : Finn, Neal (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=finnne01)
1956 : Gastall, Tom (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gastato01)
1925 : Goodwin, Marv (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=goodwma01)
1937 : Hatter, Clyde (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hattecl01)
1940 : Hershberger, Willard (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hershwi01)
1970 : Hill, Herman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hillhe02)
2002 : Kile, Darryl (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=kileda01)
1935 : Koenecke, Len (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=koenele01)
1907 : Leary, Frank (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=learyfr01)
1920 : Leonard, Joe (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leonajo01)
1929 : Lerian, Walt (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=leriawa01)
1922 : McHenry, Austin (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mchenau01)
1901 : McJames, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mcjamdo01)
1887 : McKinnon, Alex (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mckinal01)
1976 : Moose, Bob (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=moosebo01)
1979 : Munson, Thurman (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=munsoth01)
1956 : Peete, Charlie (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=peetech01)
1909 : Powers, Doc (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=powerdo01)
1902 : Prentiss, George (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=prentge01)
1909 : Sebring, Jimmy (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=sebriji01)
1928 : Shocker, Urban (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=shockur01)
1891 : Smalley, Will (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=smallwi01)
1976 : Thompson, Danny (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=thompda01)
1965 : Wantz, Dick (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=wantzdi01)
1890 : Williams, Gus (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=willigu01)
1993 : Young, Cliff (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=youngcl01)


Will Smalley and Ed Daily both last played for 1891 Washington AA. Does any other team have two men on this list? Spider Clark also signed with the Washingtons only to become ill and die before reporting and Sy Sutcliffe, another player, died less than two years later. That was a strange, star-crossed team -- a terrible season all the way around.

[Zito75]

I haven't seen Cory Lidle and Josh Hancock show up yet.

Bo Diaz was killed months after he left baseball but I think it was a different year.

Dick Howser passed away a few months after trying to manage in ST, 1987.

Mike Darr died during ST several years ago.

Sadly, I know there are others we didn't list.

[EdTarbusz]

Today I was asked on Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com), "Why did the 1932 Pittsburg Pirates where a black armband?" I advised I had no idea and sent them here to ask a Pirates expert. But I did check to see if anybody from the Pirates had passed away in 1932 who had also played in 1932. Nothing matched, but I was still curious about similar situations.


I would guess that the armbands were for Barney Dreyfuss who died in February, 1932.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Would Addie Joss technically be eligible for the Hall of Fame? I believe the wording is something like taking part in ten campaigns. He died during spring training of his tenth season. Was that his tenth campaign? By the way, he is one of the most overlooked of the deadball pitchers.

I believe a special exception was made for Joss.

[Spindlebrook]

Even though this is an old thread, I think that the death of 1995 Atlanta Braves replacement player David Shotkoski should be mentioned.

Shotkoski was murdered during an attempted holdup in West Palm Beach, FL, where the Braves were holding their spring training. Shotkoski's teammate and former MLB outfielder Terry Blocker took it upon himself to attempt to find the assassin, and through integrating himself amongst some seedy and scary characters of West Palm's ghetto, was successful in finding Shotkoski's killer.

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20105537,00.html

[hairmetalfreek]

Bo Diaz was killed months after he left baseball but I think it was a different year.


Bo's last game was in July '89. He was granted free agency in November '89, not sure if he went to Spring Training in '90 or not. He was crushed while installing a satellite dish on his roof in November '90.

[dominik]

is there any star or even superstar who died while still being in his prime or at least very good?

[Zito75]

is there any star or even superstar who died while still being in his prime or at least very good?

Thurman Munson comes to mind... Roberto Clemente was at the end of his career but was still productive... There are others. Even Daryl Kile had many years left - he died way too early.

[Dougman59]

I think of all the deceased people listed the most unusual was Danny Thompson because he did not die of sudden trama/accident or unknown medical condition. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 1974, and played through it for two years. Was a semi-regular infielder for Minnesota and then Texas appearing 98 games. He played until the end of the season yet died in early December only 10 weeks after appearing in his last game.

[Zito75]

Bo's last game was in July '89. He was granted free agency in November '89, not sure if he went to Spring Training in '90 or not. He was crushed while installing a satellite dish on his roof in November '90.

Thanks... I knew it was close, I was around 14 when this happened so it's been a long time... Of all the ways to pass away - crushed by a satellite dish? That's just not right.

[thefeckcampaign]

Very interesting topic here guys. Nick Adenhart's drunk driver conviction brought this to light for me. The first shocker was Munson. I remember the TV showing his funeral when I was a young kid.