Tulsa Drillers 1st Base Coach dead after getting hit by a foul line drive

by Eldukey on Jul 22, 2007 11:34 PM PDT Comment 18 comments

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ag6rvrrHqrEaqfUiuDYkah8RvLYF?slug=ap-coachinjured&prov=ap& amp;type=lgns

"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."

very tragic story, my condolences to his family and the team

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Comments

Ya I just saw that...crazy...

In MT we've had a Legion player die from hard hit ball, but they weren't using wood bats.

*Call up Wladam Jonentien!!!*

by SethGrandpa on Jul 22, 2007 11:37 PM PDT reply actions

Holy crap.

These pretzels....are making me thirsty!

by Goose on Jul 22, 2007 11:39 PM PDT reply actions

Wow

Puts into perspective how close it was for Raffy last year.

by Kevin on Jul 23, 2007 12:01 AM PDT reply actions

My gosh, he was only 35

That's so sad...

by Deanna on Jul 23, 2007 12:51 AM PDT reply actions

Tragic

This kind of brings up something I've been thinking for a long time - that there should be a rule that 1st and 3rd base coaches must wear helmets. They're in such a vulnerable position, and the potential for something like this has always been there. If just one life would be saved or a couple serious injuries would be avioded it'd be worth it.

by Nick S on Jul 23, 2007 12:53 AM PDT reply actions

Not sure I agree

I mean, we keep telling kids when they're growing up to keep their eye on the ball when it's in play. We tell everybody in the stadium to be aware of the ball when it's in play because you never know where that sucker is going to go.

Coaches know better then anybody else that a spheroid can be whacked with a lot of force right at someone. I'm not saying that he could have avoided it, but I dunno. They're on the field, there are other fielders out there not wearing helmets.

I'm just saying, I dont think we should overreact to what is a really freak accident.

Besides, wearing a helmet would prevent them from giving out signals by pulling on their ear lobes.

I will not make jokes in my sig. I will not make jokes in my sig. I will not...

by TIF on Jul 23, 2007 2:59 AM PDT up reply actions

They could wear skullys

Shop smart......Shop s-mart...... YOU GOT THAT!!!!

by Scruffy Lefty on Jul 23, 2007 6:38 AM PDT up reply actions

But he was looking

In fact, he did try to turn away from it but just wasn't quick enough.

"You guys should be in every major city. This is some heavy shit. This is, like, Lone Ranger heavy, man."

by AZSEAfan on Jul 23, 2007 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions

I haven't seen the play itself,

I just read about it. You'd still think they could provide them with some type of protection.

"I'm not familiar with this type of... thing I'm seeing"

by Thingray on Jul 23, 2007 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions

The fielders not wearing helmets have gloves

Coaches do not.

No, sir, they're saying Boo-vasi.

by Mariner John on Jul 23, 2007 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions

this sounds wierd, but.....

Harry Carey was a huge advocate for this. To me it is a no-brainer, especially for the 3rd base coach. I can't believe serious injuries don't happen more often.

by JeffHagan2 on Jul 23, 2007 6:42 AM PDT up reply actions

I really wonder if he was looking at the play

or wasn't really paying attention

Shop smart......Shop s-mart...... YOU GOT THAT!!!!

by Scruffy Lefty on Jul 23, 2007 6:43 AM PDT up reply actions

of if there was a runner on second

that is the most dangerous scenario

by JeffHagan2 on Jul 23, 2007 7:47 AM PDT up reply actions

The problem here is that the coach

can't always be watching the ball. Their job requires that they watch the infielders so the don't sneak in behind the base runners. I've always wondered why they don't have some type of helmet or other protection.

My condolences go out to his family and friends.

"I'm not familiar with this type of... thing I'm seeing"

by Thingray on Jul 23, 2007 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions