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Nick Adenhart's untimely death yesterday morning is another stark reminder of professional athletics ephemeral nature. Be it the NBA, professional football, or Major League Baseball. All of America's most popular sports have histories filled with the tragic deaths of their most promising young talent. In memory of Nick Adenhart, and other sportsmen whose careers were cut short long before their time, here's a list of the most devastating losses in American athletics:
5. Korey Stringer
Long gone are the days when football coaches kept water from their players during grueling summer training camps. Much of these changes were cemented by the death of Korey Stringer in August of 2001.
The all-pro tackle for the Minnesota Vikings died of complications from a severe heat stroke. Stringer's death came only six days after another football player from the University of Florida died of heat stroke. Both deaths were a wake-up call to the dangers of dehydration, especially for larger football players like the 6' 4", 335-pound lineman Korey Stringer.
4. Nick Adenhart
Many are still in shock as I write this post regarding the news of Nick Adenhart's tragic passing. The Los Angeles Angels pitcher was 22 year old. Adenhart was killed in a collision with a minivan at 12:30 AM yesterday, hours after his first big league start.
Adenhart was the Angel's top young pitching prospect, and had just undergone Tommy John's surgery only a few years ago as a teenager. Professional baseball scouts were in agreement on the limitless potential Adenhart exhibited on the mound. It's never easy to make a Major League roster as a young ball player, particularly as a young pitcher.
Nick's inclusion on the Angel roster this season indicated he had overcome some significant barriers in his maturity as a big league pitcher. Adenhart's presence on and off the field will be mourned and missed by his family, his franchise, and his fans.
3. Patrick Tillman
Patrick Tillman lived his life against the grain. When Tillman - an excellent safety for the Arizona Cardinals at the time - turned down a five year nine million dollar offer from the St. Louis Rams out of loyalty to the Arizona Cardinals - the sport's community was unimpressed. When Tillman announced his plans to enter the Army's Ranger program following the September 11th terrorist attacks, he got the attention of an entire country.
American's were equally shocked when news returned that Tillman had been killed in Afghanistan. The controversy surrounding his ambiguous death became big news in the United States. Beyond the events leading up to his death, America lost one of its few unselfish and truly caring professional athletes when Tillman was killed in action. He was 27 years old.
2. Sean Taylor
The shock was evident everywhere when the spectacular safety for the Washington Redskins was proclaimed dead in November of 2007. Taylor was murdered during a botched attempt to burglarize his Miami home. At 24, Sean Taylor was one of the most exciting young defensive players in the NFL. With the speed, strength and athleticism coveted by NFL analysts, Sean Taylor's explosive style was often likened to the perennial pro bowler Ed Reed. The only difference between both players was that Taylor stood a full three inches taller and thirty pounds heavier than the smaller sized Ed Reed.
The Redskins franchise was amiss and in a state of grief with the news of Taylor's murder. The team rallied around their fallen peer's death to make what became a memorable end of season run into the NFL playoffs. Sadly, we'll never know how good Sean Taylor could have been. Instead, his friends and family are left grieving, and we're left only with the memories of his youthful and physical play on the field.
1. Steve Prefontaine
Prefontaine's biography has become something of sports lore. Even though I was born almost a decade after his fatal car crash, the tragedy surrounding Prefontaine lives on. Since his death there have been two movies, a book and numerous memorials honoring his memory. Steve's death at 24 is still considered the greatest sport's tragedy to befall the state of Oregon and its University in Eugene.
Many consider Prefontaine to be one of the best long distance runners ever. His dedication and passion were on display in the 1972 Olympics. His inability to bring home a gold medal at the event devastated the young athlete's high expectations. Still, we remember Prefontaine's attitude and personality, both of which remain internalized in the minds and memories of his friends and the millions of runners his life continues to inspire.
Other tragic sports deaths include Florence Griffith-Joyner, Cory lidle, Boddy Phill, Bison Dele, Corey Smith & Michael Cooper, Reggie Lewis, Len Bias and Reggie White.
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