AA Batting Coach/Former MLB Player Killed At Game

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/minorlbb/news/story?id=2945798

 

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The batting coach for the Tulsa Drillers was pronounced dead at a hospital Sunday evening after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a Texas League game with the Arkansas Travelers, police said.

 

The game was suspended in the ninth inning after Mike Coolbaugh, 35, was hit by a hard-hit foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez and taken to Baptist Medical Center-North Little Rock.

 

Phil Elson, spokesman for the Travelers, said Coolbaugh was struck by the ball on the right side of his head, or on the forehead -- "I'm getting conflicting reports" -- and fell to the ground immediately.

 

According to a report posted on the Drillers' Web site late Sunday, Coolbaugh was knocked unconscious and CPR was administered to him on the field.

 

Sgt. Terry Kuykendall, spokesman for North Little Rock police, said Coolbaugh was still alive when he was put in an ambulance for the trip to the hospital, but quit breathing as the ambulance arrived at the facility.

 

"They tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at 9:47 p.m.," Kuykendall said.

 

Coolbaugh played 44 games in the major leagues over two seasons, his last appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002. The Drillers' web site said Coolbaugh joined the Tulsa team's staff on July 3.

 

The Travelers, an Angels affiliate, led 7-3 at the time the game was suspended with no outs and a runner on first in the top of the ninth inning. Officials said a date and time for finishing the game had not yet been chosen.

 

Tulsa is a Rockies affiliate.

 

To my knowledge this is the first on-field death in 50 years caused directly by on-field action. Frankly I'm surprised this isn't big news.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Yeah, I'm kind of shocked that this isn't all over every sports page. Sure, it was a no-namer in a minor league game, but still, the guy died at a baseball game.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

There's probably a statistic for dying during a ballgame. Or at the very least "Most home runs on a day when some poor guy got beaned and didn't make it."

[Guest •]

Oh shit, he was a former Cardinal. Another death for the creepy subset of Cardinal Nation to obsess over. There will be hundreds of mylar balloons and popsicle-stick crosses outside Busch Stadium by noon.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Hopefully this leads to some sort of protection for the guys in the field (not just the managers/base coaches, I'd like to see helmets & face masks for the players too). Such a shame.

[Guest •]

So one guy dies in a minor-league game and everyone has to dress like the Black Knight at the Renaissance Faire?

[Scarlett_Rayne 0]

Hopefully this leads to some sort of protection for the guys in the field (not just the managers/base coaches, I'd like to see helmets & face masks for the players too). Such a shame.

 

 

They probably should wear a helmet honestly. I'm surprised this hasn't happened more often, especially to a 3rd base coach.

[Guest •]

I don't think we need to stick football helmets on everyone, though. Geez.

[Red Baron 0]

John Olreud wore a helmet on first base.

 

But seriously, what are the odds of this ever happening.

[Guest •]

He had suffered an aneurysm, though, so there were clearly special circumstances. Anyone can wear helmets if they want to, I guess, but I don't think it needs to be enforced wholesale. It's not like baseball has been ruined by pansy-ass Finns.

[Slayer 0]

So one guy dies in a minor-league game and everyone has to dress like the Black Knight at the Renaissance Faire?

"It's only a flesh wound"

[AntiLeaf33 0]

If they are going to put helmets on anyone on feild it should be the pitchers. Those guys take so make come-backers off the head that I'm surprised that there hasn't been more serious injuries. Also, the base coaches would benefit from some type of head protection as well (It's not like they have to run or anything, so the helmet would only be a minor incoinvience at best.

[Richard 0]

I wonder if the team's going to change their name now.

[Mike wanna be 0]

I don't think we need to stick football helmets on everyone, though. Geez.

I disagree. If you had 100+ MPH rock-like things come flying at you, wouldn't you want as much protection as you could get? Sure it's unlikely, but it only takes one good shot and something like this can happen. If he had a batting helmet on there's a distinct possibility he'd not only be alive, but completely uninjured.

[Mik 0]

Deadspin had the radio call. It's typical..."oh, that's gonna leave a mark" announcer talk.

 

A little chilling considering what actually happened.

[Hawk 34 0]

I don't think we need to stick football helmets on everyone, though. Geez.

I disagree. If you had 100+ MPH rock-like things come flying at you, wouldn't you want as much protection as you could get? Sure it's unlikely, but it only takes one good shot and something like this can happen. If he had a batting helmet on there's a distinct possibility he'd not only be alive, but completely uninjured.

 

If you are afraid of getting hit by a ball coming at you, you're in the wrong business.

[Guest •]

Not as if one death isn't too many, but I see no reason to be so reactive here. Base coaches have been successfully avoiding foul balls for the vast majority of the sport's existence. If there was an epidemic of concussions and head trauma-related death among coaches, you'd have a case, but these are guys who have been in baseball for pretty much their entire lives. They'll be okay.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Not as if one death isn't too many, but I see no reason to be so reactive here. Base coaches have been successfully avoiding foul balls for the vast majority of the sport's existence. If there was an epidemic of concussions and head trauma-related death among coaches, you'd have a case, but these are guys who have been in baseball for pretty much their entire lives. They'll be okay.

It's ok, it's just one premature widow. It's all right, it's just two kids and one on the way that don't have a dad any more. It's not like they need a full coat of armor or something ridiculous; a simple batting helmet (that EVERY team has a few dozen of on hand at all times) could've saved his life. People shouldn't die playing sports.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

There's a tendency when tragedy occurs to go overboard in preventative measures. Even when something is a fluke occurance. To my knowledge, this is the first direct on-field fatality in organized baseball in over 50 years. This was a million to one shot. Honestly, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning.

 

And to add a little perspective on this, Mike Coolbaugh wasn't just a hitting coach. Coolbaugh played third base professionally. He was certainly not unfamiliar with the dangers of a batted ball.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

I read that Tim Flannery who coaches one of the bases for the Giants started wearing some protective gear due to this.

[Maztinho 0]

There's a tendency when tragedy occurs to go overboard in preventative measures. Even when something is a fluke occurance. To my knowledge, this is the first direct on-field fatality in organized baseball in over 50 years. This was a million to one shot. Honestly, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning.

 

And to add a little perspective on this, Mike Coolbaugh wasn't just a hitting coach. Coolbaugh played third base professionally. He was certainly not unfamiliar with the dangers of a batted ball.

 

Al's right, this guy could have coached the game and gotten in a car accident right after as well, which is a more likely to occur statistically speaking. Take it for what it was, a fluke tragedy.

[Mik 0]

He died from bleeding in his artery. It didn't even hit his head...it hit him in the neck directly underneath the ear. There's a small possibility that a helmet might have not even helped.