Wow, not many stories render me speechless, but this is one of them. Can't imagine what the guy who hit the ball must be feeling.

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

Coolbaugh, 35, dies after being struck by ball
ESPN.com news services

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh died after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a game.

The Texas League game was suspended in the ninth inning Sunday after the 35-year-old former major leaguer was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez of the Drillers. Coolbaugh was taken to Baptist Medical Center-North Little Rock, where he was pronounced dead.

"It's a tragedy for all of baseball," Drillers president Chuck Lamson told the Tulsa World in a story posted on the newspaper's Web site early Monday. "He just joined the staff and was a former Driller player. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

Travelers spokesman Phil Elson said Coolbaugh was either hit on the right side of his head or on the forehead and fell to the ground immediately. According to a report 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, but stopped breathing as the ambulance arrived at the hospital.

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

The Drillers said Monday night's game against the Wichita Wranglers in Kansas has been postponed, and team officials planned to release a statement Monday afternoon about their immediate plans.

Coolbaugh played 44 games in the major leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers over two seasons. The Drillers' Web site said Coolbaugh joined the Tulsa staff on July 3 as a batting coach. He played for the team briefly in 1996.

Tulsa is the Colorado Rockies' Double-A affiliate.

Aaron Rifkin, the Drillers' first basemen, said recently that Coolbaugh's coaching style had already been a help to the team.

"He came in and didn't try to change guys, just fine-tune what they were doing. He's been great for me," Rifkin told the Tulsa World.

A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Coolbaugh went to Roosevelt High School in San Antonio and was drafted in 1990 by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 16th round.

He played third base and bounced around the minors for a decade, before making his major league debut with the Brewers in 2001. He played five more big league games for the Cardinals in 2002. He hit two home runs in 70 major league at-bats.

Coolbaugh spent three years in the Houston Astros organization, first signing as a minor league free agent in July 2003, the Houston Chronicle reported on its Web site Monday. He played at Double-A Round Rock in 2003, at Triple-A New Orleans in 2004 and at Triple-A Round Rock in 2005.

In 2005, he was named the Astros' Triple-A Most Valuable Player, hitting .281 with 27 homers and 101 RBIs.

Coolbaugh's older brother, Scott, also played 167 major league games over parts of four seasons with Texas, San Diego and St. Louis in the early 1990s.

The Travelers, the Angels' Double-A 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.

Sanchez, a 6-foot, 175-pound catcher, is hitting .174 in 26 games with the Drillers with one home run and eight RBIs. The 28-year-old switch hitter batted .325 in 23 games with the Drillers in 2006.

Coolbaugh is survived by his wife, Mandy, and two young sons, Joseph and Jacob, all of San Antonio. Mandy Coolbaugh is expecting another child in October.

Not to mention the last line - 2 young sons and another on the way.

Sad...This is why I'm not a basecoach

I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often. You have a "hardball" flying all over the place at high speeds. It seems like an incredibly dangerous sport, yet it's avoided tragedy for the most part.

It's always kind of strange when someone hits a bullet into a clubhouse, and everyone ducks out the way. The announcers even joke about it sometimes, saying stuff like "well that'll wake everyone up", even though presumably, we were just inches away from a disaster.

I've had a couple close calls working the bases as an umpire. You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes?

It doesn't. You wet your pants instead.

I went to a couple of games in New Orleans when Mike Coolbaugh was playing there. I also vaguely remember his time with the Cardinals. This is a shame, and I can't imagine what the atmosphere must've been like in that stadium as soon as it happened. :(

I watched Coolbaugh play a few games when he was with the Indianapolis Indians. The announcer always said "Mike CooooooooooooooooooooooolBaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuugh!" When he came up to the plate.

So, I am the 2nd car at a red light this morning when I hear this story on the radio. The car in front of me goes and I just go with them, not noticing that the light is still red. I was just dumb struck by the news.

Sad...This is why I'm not a basecoach

I was an umpire for 12 years at the HS and younger level. Many of the kids often served as base coaches during the games as there weren't always enought coaches. All kids were required to wear helmets while doing that for this very reason. As a base coach, you aren't always fully aware of batted balls because you are concentrating on other things. I never understood why grown men saw a need to make kids wear helmets in the base coaching boxes, while the men never did it. It honestly should be mandatory. It's such a simple move and if it saves one life, it's worth it.

I was an umpire for 12 years at the HS and younger level. Many of the kids often served as base coaches during the games as there weren't always enought coaches. All kids were required to wear helmets while doing that for this very reason. As a base coach, you aren't always fully aware of batted balls because you are concentrating on other things. I never understood why grown men saw a need to make kids wear helmets in the base coaching boxes, while the men never did it. It honestly should be mandatory. It's such a simple move and if it saves one life, it's worth it.


I agree with you 100%

As a base coach, you aren't always fully aware of batted balls because you are concentrating on other things.

I disagree. As a base coach...or a base umpire for that matter...I'm watching the pitcher to make sure he goes home with the pitch. If he does, my focus turns to the batter and ball and go from there.

Regardless...definitely a tragedy.

GoldenEagle is an umpire for high school and he just got done doing the USSSA World Series in Southaven, MS... seeing this really worries me.

Also, we almost went to that game last night, we went to the Tulsa VS Travelers game Thursday. This is so hard to believe.

I disagree. As a base coach...or a base umpire for that matter...I'm watching the pitcher to make sure he goes home with the pitch. If he does, my focus turns to the batter and ball and go from there.

Regardless...definitely a tragedy.

I'll give you an example of a situation where it does affect a base coach, especially at the minor league level. They often are concentrating on watching little things for the runner: how they lead off, what kind of break they get, how they accelerate, etc. Their job at the minor league level is to give the GM as much info as they possibly can about every player. Even a slight hesitation to look home can prove disasterous.

Even if we assume that the coaches can always watch the ball, there's still no reason for them not to be wearing helmets. Unlike the fielders that have gloves to stop the ball, the coaches have no way to defend themselves in their position.

This is a guy that played 3B. I can't imagine him taking one in the head if he saw it coming.

The Texas League game was suspended in the ninth inning Sunday after the 35-year-old former major leaguer was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez of the Drillers

Pretty prophetic team name...

When I played baseball, sometimes I would act as the base coach at 1st. I always had to wear a helmet. It should definitely be manditory to wear a helmet on the field for anyone without a glove.

This is a guy that played 3B. I can't imagine him taking one in the head if he saw it coming.

Line drives are like curve balls. They start in one direction and then slice one way or the other. It's pretty easy to lean one way initially, only to quickly figure out that the ball is curling right toward you. Frightening stuff at times. As an umpire in the field, it can wake you up in a big hurry.

I wonder just as much how this event will effect the player who hit the line drive. I'm guessing that he'll quickly fade away from the game. Pretty traumatic to think about the fact that you indirectly killed someone.

Line drives are like curve balls. They start in one direction and then slice one way or the other. It's pretty easy to lean one way initially, only to quickly figure out that the ball is curling right toward you. Frightening stuff at times. As an umpire in the field, it can wake you up in a big hurry.

Not only that, but when something is coming right at your head, I think it's instinctively harder to get out of the way, than say, if it was hit at your legs.

I'll give you an example of a situation where it does affect a base coach, especially at the minor league level. They often are concentrating on watching little things for the runner: how they lead off, what kind of break they get, how they accelerate, etc. Their job at the minor league level is to give the GM as much info as they possibly can about every player. Even a slight hesitation to look home can prove disasterous.

If that's what they are doing then they are doing during a disservice to the player and their team because that's what practice is for. Let the guys on the bench worry about the runner's footwork...the base coach's job is to be a second set of eyes and ears on the basepaths and should be focused on where the ball is and where it's going...whether that means a batted ball...or a thrown ball from the pitcher or catcher.

Even if we assume that the coaches can always watch the ball, there's still no reason for them not to be wearing helmets. Unlike the fielders that have gloves to stop the ball, the coaches have no way to defend themselves in their position.

Why don't base umpires have helmets on? Heck, why not give the guy who is most likely to get hit who has even less time to react...the pitcher...more protection?

Line drives are like curve balls. They start in one direction and then slice one way or the other. It's pretty easy to lean one way initially, only to quickly figure out that the ball is curling right toward you. Frightening stuff at times. As an umpire in the field, it can wake you up in a big hurry.

Dude, I have played baseball, granted not at the minor league level. I've played 1B as an adult in softball leagues.

If he was paying attention, I find it very hard to believe this would happen.

Dude, I have played baseball, granted not at the minor league level. I've played 1B as an adult in softball leagues.

If he was paying attention, I find it very hard to believe this would happen.

Sometimes, stupid things just happen.

Sometimes, stupid things just happen.

Oh, I know. It is sad, regardless.

Why don't base umpires have helmets on? Heck, why not give the guy who is most likely to get hit who has even less time to react...the pitcher...more protection?

You won't find any disagreements from me on this. I think you meant this as an argument that you can't protect from everything. I disagree. Work could be done to retro-fit player and umpire caps with a protective shell that would diminish some of the force of the blow. It would likely take some work to make it functional and comfortable, but it surely could be done.

I have a good friend from college who is now a MLB umpire. We chatted about this situation. He said he's honestly shocked that it doesn't occur more. He mentioned that he has had several close calls when umping at second base. With a runner on first, the 2nd base ump moves in between 2nd base and the pitcher. There's always some wicked shots up the middle and the pitcher sometimes blocks his view of the ball.

You won't find any disagreements from me on this. I think you meant this as an argument that you can't protect from everything. I disagree. Work could be done to retro-fit player and umpire caps with a protective shell that would diminish some of the force of the blow. It would likely take some work to make it functional and comfortable, but it surely could be done.

Sure, we could wrap everybody in bubblewrap and then we'll have a generation of kids who won't know how to catch because they simply let the ball hit them anywhere because it doesn't hurt anymore. Maybe pedestrians should start wearing helmets, knee pads, and wrist guards because there is a chance they could get hit by a rollerblader, a cyclist, or even a car? When is it going to be enough?

I'm not suggesting this guy wasn't paying attention...not at all. He very well could've been watching but didn't pick up the ball right away...who knows...but at the same time...if you are on a baseball field 90 feet away from guy trying to hit a baseball as hard as he can...you have to expect that there is a slight chance that you are going to be in the line of fire. No matter how much protection you cover yourself with, there is always a chance that the protection could fail or that you get hit somewhere else where you don't have any protection at all...that is just the way it is.

I've pitched for years and, yes, I've been hit by my share of batted balls but luckily none of those situations resulted in more than a bad bruise or two. Heck, earlier this season, a guy on my team was hit twice in two innings...once of the ankle and the second time off of his forehead. Very scary as he appeared to lose consciousness for a few moments but like he said, there is nothing anybody could've done unless he was wearing this catcher's gear. Oddly enough, he said his ankle bothered him for a week following that game while his head was just fine...mind you, he's a catcher...I hardly believe his head was ever fine!!

Take as many precautions as you want...people are going to get hurt...that's life.

I have a good friend from college who is now a MLB umpire. We chatted about this situation. He said he's honestly shocked that it doesn't occur more. He mentioned that he has had several close calls when umping at second base. With a runner on first, the 2nd base ump moves in between 2nd base and the pitcher. There's always some wicked shots up the middle and the pitcher sometimes blocks his view of the ball.

I agree...I've never seen anybody, umpire or base coach, get hit in the head. Sure, I've seen a lot of close calls and a couple off of the legs...but never in the head.

Back around 11-12 year old little league, a teammate of mine took a liner to the groin while coaching third. No cup, just pain. And of course, unlike this, it was the source of jokes for weeks to come. But that's the only time I've ever seen something like this first-hand.

I agree...I've never seen anybody, umpire or base coach, get hit in the head. Sure, I've seen a lot of close calls and a couple off of the legs...but never in the head.

I can't speak for other umpires, but if a ball is coming at my head, I'm hitting the deck. That's what I have a partner for. :)

You think the guy that hit that one feels bad, how about the guy who hit this one :(

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/25/national/a121300D04.DTL


A 12-year-old softball player was knocked unconscious when a ball hit her in the head during practice, and she died a day later, police and family said.

Margaret Ruth "Maggie" Hilbrands was hit by a ground ball during a routine infield drill on Monday — a day after the death of a minor-league baseball coach who was struck by a line drive in Arkansas. The Grand Rapids girl died Tuesday at DeVos Children's Hospital.