04/29/2007 3:59 PM ET
Hudson learns of two tragedies
Hancock's death comes on heels of grandmother's passing
By Tony DeMarco / Special to MLB.com
DENVER -- There was nothing but tragedy in Tim Hudson's Sunday morning.
First came the news from his wife that Hudson's grandmother, Vera Mickle, had died. That wasn't a totally unexpected development, as she had been ill for some time. But the next piece of terrible news was a surprise.
Braves director of media relations Brad Hainje called Hudson in his hotel room with the news that St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Josh Hancock -- a college teammate of Hudson's at Auburn -- had died in a car crash.
"I didn't want Tim to be blindsided by the news, so I called him," Hainje said. "The news hadn't been released yet. He was stunned. He told me that he had just gotten off the phone with his wife, who told him his grandmother had died."
So Hudson will pitch with a heavy heart on Monday, when he will make his scheduled start at Turner Field against Philadelphia.
"My grandmother's funeral is Tuesday, in Columbus, Ga.," Hudson said. "I'll have to find out about Josh's and see if I can get there."
Hudson and Hancock were teammates on the 1997 Auburn baseball team, when Hudson was a senior and the Southeastern Conference Player of Year, and Hancock was a freshman. "We only played together one year," Hudson said. "But we would see each other in the offseason. There is a good alumni program at Auburn. Everybody who played gets together, goes to games, tailgates, spends time hanging out. I saw [Hancock] every offseason. He will be missed."
Josh Hancock lost in car crash, Game cancelled.
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fulldeck
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ToughGuy_BlueShirt
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Fat Strat
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Looper is a man among men.St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Braden Looper, right, addresses the media as Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, left, listens during a press conference on Sunday, April 29, 2007, in St. Louis. Looper and Piniella talked to the media regarding the Cardinals' pitcher Josh Hancock who was killed in an auto accident early Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson)
It's times like these that I stop thinking of these guys as ballplayers with skills and flaws, and you get to know them a little as real people.
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planet planet
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I would like to hear what he said if anyone has a link.Fat Strat wrote:Looper is a man among men.St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Braden Looper, right, addresses the media as Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, left, listens during a press conference on Sunday, April 29, 2007, in St. Louis. Looper and Piniella talked to the media regarding the Cardinals' pitcher Josh Hancock who was killed in an auto accident early Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson)
It's times like these that I stop thinking of these guys as ballplayers with skills and flaws, and you get to know them a little as real people.
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http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument
Cards reliever Hancock killed in car crash; tonight's game called off
By Bill Bryan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Sunday, Apr. 29 2007
Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed early Sunday in an accident on Highway 40 (Interstate 64), just east of Compton Avenue, authorities said.
Hancock's Ford Explorer slammed into the rear of a tow truck that was parked in the far left westbound lane shortly after 12:30 a.m. The tow truck driver, who was seated in the vehicle at the time, was unhurt.
He told police that his emergency lights were on, and that he honked his horn when he saw the Explorer approaching in his rear view mirror, but that the Explorer didn't slow down or swerve to avoid the collision.
At the time of the accident, the tow truck driver was assisting a motorist
from an earlier accident.
Hancock, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner's office said Sunday morning that an autopsy had been scheduled.
Team gathers at Busch
The Cardinals gathered this afternoon at Busch Stadium to discuss the death of relief pitcher Josh Hancock and mourn his passing.
"We just got together to discuss...there were comments and memories shared that were really meaningful to everybody in the room," manager Tony La Russa said.
"Josh had a lot of friends in the clubhouse," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "You talk about it being a family, it IS a family, believe us."
"It’s an extended family," La Russa said. "You have your family at home, you have your family in the clubhouse."
Hancock, though, was single. "Josh, in this town, his family was his team," La Russa said.
"Personally and professionally, he was a lot of fun and a terrific teammate."
The Cardinals called off tonight's game; it will be played later this season.
The team will resume the season Monday in Milwaukee -- wearing commemorative No. 32 patches.
Less than five years since Kile's death
It is the second time in less than five years that an active Cardinals player has died during the season. In June 2002, pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in his Chicago hotel room as the Cardinals were preparing to play the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Kile, 33, died of a coronary artery blockage.
"All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis
pitcher Josh Hancock," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a fine young pitcher who played an important role on last year's World Series
championship team."
Hancock was remembered at ballparks around the country. The Cleveland Indians observed a moment of silence before their game against the Baltimore Orioles, with Hancock's picture displayed on a giant scoreboard.
"It's terrible, another terrible event," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who was the Colorado hitting coach when Kile was a part of the Rockies' staff in 1998 and 1999. "The young man had done so well last fall and had a promising career. It's just terrible."
Hancock was a key member of the bullpen that helped the Cardinals win the World Series last season, leading the team's relievers with 77 regular-season innings pitched.
Hancock pitched for four major league clubs. He went 3-3 in 62 regular-season appearances for the Cardinals last season and pitched in three postseason games. He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in eight games this season after pitching three innings in Saturday's game vs. the Cubs at Busch.
Hancock joined the Cardinals before the 2006 season. He has pitched for Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.
He was single.
Three days before Hancock's death, the Cardinals got a scare that some
teammates said reminded them of Kile's death -- Hancock overslept and showed up late for a day game in St. Louis. Hancock told the Post-Dispatch he thought the starting time was later and didn't get up until the "20th call" from anxious
teammates.
"We were all a little nervous," closer Jason Isringhausen said earlier this
week. "We don't care if you're late. That happens. We want to know that you're OK."
Hancock made his offseason home in St. Louis. He was the only player to attend the premiere of a DVD documenting the Cardinals' unlikely run to their 10th World Series championship after winning only 83 regular-season games.
Hancock was a native of Cleveland, Miss., and played high school baseball in the Birmingham, Ala., area. In 1997, Hancock helped Auburn advance to the College World Series.
"Josh was a part of arguably the best pitching staff and arguably the best
team ever to play at Auburn. It is a shame whenever anyone dies, especially someone as young as Josh, in a tragic accident," said Auburn coach Tom Slater, an assistant at the school when Hancock played there.
Team's appreciation
La Russa spoke glowingly of Hancock’s selfless nature and his willingness to do whatever was needed. He got some important late-inning opportunities for the Cardinals, but he also got his share of mop-up assignments that were not
glamorous.
In fact, that was the nature of his final assignment as a Cardinal.
"We had a difficult game," La Russa said. "It was not a great assignment. He pitched three innings when we’re down 7-0. We didn't get embarrassed and it was because of him."
On Thursday, the team will travel on a charter jet to Tupelo, Miss., to attend Hancock’s funeral.
"Obviously, this is difficult for all of us, especially for those of us who
were here five years ago when we lost Darryl Kile," Jocketty said.
"Trust me when I tell you,” La Russa said, “this is brutal to go through."
Some information was provided by the Associated Press and Post-Dispatch staff
writer Jeff Gordon. Check back on STLtoday.com for more details.
Cards reliever Hancock killed in car crash; tonight's game called off
By Bill Bryan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Sunday, Apr. 29 2007
Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed early Sunday in an accident on Highway 40 (Interstate 64), just east of Compton Avenue, authorities said.
Hancock's Ford Explorer slammed into the rear of a tow truck that was parked in the far left westbound lane shortly after 12:30 a.m. The tow truck driver, who was seated in the vehicle at the time, was unhurt.
He told police that his emergency lights were on, and that he honked his horn when he saw the Explorer approaching in his rear view mirror, but that the Explorer didn't slow down or swerve to avoid the collision.
At the time of the accident, the tow truck driver was assisting a motorist
from an earlier accident.
Hancock, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner's office said Sunday morning that an autopsy had been scheduled.
Team gathers at Busch
The Cardinals gathered this afternoon at Busch Stadium to discuss the death of relief pitcher Josh Hancock and mourn his passing.
"We just got together to discuss...there were comments and memories shared that were really meaningful to everybody in the room," manager Tony La Russa said.
"Josh had a lot of friends in the clubhouse," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "You talk about it being a family, it IS a family, believe us."
"It’s an extended family," La Russa said. "You have your family at home, you have your family in the clubhouse."
Hancock, though, was single. "Josh, in this town, his family was his team," La Russa said.
"Personally and professionally, he was a lot of fun and a terrific teammate."
The Cardinals called off tonight's game; it will be played later this season.
The team will resume the season Monday in Milwaukee -- wearing commemorative No. 32 patches.
Less than five years since Kile's death
It is the second time in less than five years that an active Cardinals player has died during the season. In June 2002, pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in his Chicago hotel room as the Cardinals were preparing to play the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Kile, 33, died of a coronary artery blockage.
"All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis
pitcher Josh Hancock," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a fine young pitcher who played an important role on last year's World Series
championship team."
Hancock was remembered at ballparks around the country. The Cleveland Indians observed a moment of silence before their game against the Baltimore Orioles, with Hancock's picture displayed on a giant scoreboard.
"It's terrible, another terrible event," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who was the Colorado hitting coach when Kile was a part of the Rockies' staff in 1998 and 1999. "The young man had done so well last fall and had a promising career. It's just terrible."
Hancock was a key member of the bullpen that helped the Cardinals win the World Series last season, leading the team's relievers with 77 regular-season innings pitched.
Hancock pitched for four major league clubs. He went 3-3 in 62 regular-season appearances for the Cardinals last season and pitched in three postseason games. He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in eight games this season after pitching three innings in Saturday's game vs. the Cubs at Busch.
Hancock joined the Cardinals before the 2006 season. He has pitched for Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.
He was single.
Three days before Hancock's death, the Cardinals got a scare that some
teammates said reminded them of Kile's death -- Hancock overslept and showed up late for a day game in St. Louis. Hancock told the Post-Dispatch he thought the starting time was later and didn't get up until the "20th call" from anxious
teammates.
"We were all a little nervous," closer Jason Isringhausen said earlier this
week. "We don't care if you're late. That happens. We want to know that you're OK."
Hancock made his offseason home in St. Louis. He was the only player to attend the premiere of a DVD documenting the Cardinals' unlikely run to their 10th World Series championship after winning only 83 regular-season games.
Hancock was a native of Cleveland, Miss., and played high school baseball in the Birmingham, Ala., area. In 1997, Hancock helped Auburn advance to the College World Series.
"Josh was a part of arguably the best pitching staff and arguably the best
team ever to play at Auburn. It is a shame whenever anyone dies, especially someone as young as Josh, in a tragic accident," said Auburn coach Tom Slater, an assistant at the school when Hancock played there.
Team's appreciation
La Russa spoke glowingly of Hancock’s selfless nature and his willingness to do whatever was needed. He got some important late-inning opportunities for the Cardinals, but he also got his share of mop-up assignments that were not
glamorous.
In fact, that was the nature of his final assignment as a Cardinal.
"We had a difficult game," La Russa said. "It was not a great assignment. He pitched three innings when we’re down 7-0. We didn't get embarrassed and it was because of him."
On Thursday, the team will travel on a charter jet to Tupelo, Miss., to attend Hancock’s funeral.
"Obviously, this is difficult for all of us, especially for those of us who
were here five years ago when we lost Darryl Kile," Jocketty said.
"Trust me when I tell you,” La Russa said, “this is brutal to go through."
Some information was provided by the Associated Press and Post-Dispatch staff
writer Jeff Gordon. Check back on STLtoday.com for more details.
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stlouie_lipp
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I obviously didn't know Josh Hancock personally, so it's not like I'm in mourning or anything. But, I am a Cards fan and it is upsetting when someone you cheer for dies in such a tragic fashion.
Who I am sad for is his family and friends. To lose a loved-one at such a young age...well, I can't even imagine what that must be like.
Who I am sad for is his family and friends. To lose a loved-one at such a young age...well, I can't even imagine what that must be like.
