Former big leaguer killed after being struck by line drive

[Gerk]

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh died Sunday night 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 Coolbaugh was struck 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," he said -- 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 stopped 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 Colorado Rockies' Double-A affiliate.

[Dr. Jack]

Sad story

[Gerk]

Very sad story

When I was pitching in junior high, I got hit by a line drive right off the side of my forehead also. I had to get 15 stitches in my head and still have a inch scar on the right side of my forehead.

You see it with pitchers all the time, but I haven't heard of incidients with the base coaches getting hit, althought it seems like there are a number of close calls

[PigSkinTerror13]

wow... this is really unheard of

very, very sad

[Randle Pat McMurphy]

In Pony ball, my son's coach decided to throw BP without utilizing the net on the mound. My son drilled him dead center of his chest and coach crumpled like a house of cards. Scared the crap out of me as I thought he was dead when we 1st got to him. Paramedics took him to the hospital, and thankfully, he was just bruised pretty bad.

Never can understand why base coaches dont wear batting helmets. We always made our base coaches where helmets, even on my son's college team they followed the same practice.


Sad story which probably could have been easily avoided by such a simple step.

[Ron Mexico]

How about the guy that hit the ball?? Totally not his fault but I would be devistated if it was me!!!

[Gerk]

Just read that Coolbaugh had two kids and his wife is pregnant with their third. What an awful story this is and like Ron said also for the poor guy who hit the line drive who has to live with that for the rest of his life.

[Go Michigan]

really feel sorry for his family

[Brother Love]

this is what is a true accident..

[TCD619]

Another sad story for the St Louis Cardinals.


ALSO, wife is expecting in October 2007