Gone Too Soon
Major League Players Who Died During Their Active Playing Careers
Player
Team
Date
Age
Dernell Stenson
Cincinnati Reds
11-05-2003
25
• Shot and apparently run over in a Phoenix suburb
Steve Bechler
Baltimore Orioles
02-17-2003
23
• Multi-organ failure due to heatstroke
Darryl Kile
St. Louis Cardinals
06-22-2002
33
• Blocked coronary artery; died in sleep
Mike Darr
San Diego Padres
02-15-2002
25
• SUV accident just before start of spring training
Tim Crews
Cleveland Indians
03- 22-1993
31
• Boating accident near Winter Haven, Fla.
Steve Olin
Cleveland Indians
03-22-1993
27
• Boating accident near Winter Haven, Fla.
Thurman Munson
New York Yankees
08-02-1979
32
• Plane crash during a practice landing in Canton, Ohio
Lyman Bostock
California Angels
09-23-1978
27
• Shot in a case of mistaken identity
Bob Moose
Pittsburgh Pirates
10-09-1976
29
• Automobile accident on way to his birthday party
Don Wilson
Houston Astros
01-05-1975
29
• Found dead in a car in his garage from carbon monoxide poisoning
Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates
12-31-1972
38
• Plane crash near Puerto Rico while carrying relief supplies to Nicaragua
Ken Hubbs
Chicago Cubs
02-15-1964
22
• Plane crash near Provo, Utah
Harry Agganis
Boston Red Sox
06-27-1955
26
• Massive pulmonary embolism
Ernie Bonham
Pittsburgh Pirates
09-15-1949
36
• Died during an emergency appendectomy
Willard Hershberger
Cincinnati Reds
08-03-1940
30
• Committed suicide
Len Koenecke
Brooklyn Dodgers
09-17-1935
31
• Battered with a fire extinguisher by member of airplane crew
Hal Carlson
Chicago Cubs
05-28-1930
38
• Stomach hemorrhage
Urban Shocker
New York Yankees
09-09-1928
38
• Heart problems and pneumonia
Ray Chapman
Cleveland Indians
08-17-1920
29
• Skull fracture after being hit by a pitch
Addie Joss
Cleveland Indians
04-14-1911
31
• Tubercular meningitis
Ed Delahanty
Washington Senators
07-09-1903
35
• Found dead in Niagara Falls
Doc Powers
Philadelphia Athletics
04-26-1909
38
• Internal injuries after crashing into wall
Doc McJames
Washington Senators
09-23-1901
27
• Carriage flipped after horse bolted
Major League Players Who Died During Their Active Playing Careers
Player
Team
Date
Age
Dernell Stenson
Cincinnati Reds
11-05-2003
25
• Shot and apparently run over in a Phoenix suburb
Steve Bechler
Baltimore Orioles
02-17-2003
23
• Multi-organ failure due to heatstroke
Darryl Kile
St. Louis Cardinals
06-22-2002
33
• Blocked coronary artery; died in sleep
Mike Darr
San Diego Padres
02-15-2002
25
• SUV accident just before start of spring training
Tim Crews
Cleveland Indians
03- 22-1993
31
• Boating accident near Winter Haven, Fla.
Steve Olin
Cleveland Indians
03-22-1993
27
• Boating accident near Winter Haven, Fla.
Thurman Munson
New York Yankees
08-02-1979
32
• Plane crash during a practice landing in Canton, Ohio
Lyman Bostock
California Angels
09-23-1978
27
• Shot in a case of mistaken identity
Bob Moose
Pittsburgh Pirates
10-09-1976
29
• Automobile accident on way to his birthday party
Don Wilson
Houston Astros
01-05-1975
29
• Found dead in a car in his garage from carbon monoxide poisoning
Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates
12-31-1972
38
• Plane crash near Puerto Rico while carrying relief supplies to Nicaragua
Ken Hubbs
Chicago Cubs
02-15-1964
22
• Plane crash near Provo, Utah
Harry Agganis
Boston Red Sox
06-27-1955
26
• Massive pulmonary embolism
Ernie Bonham
Pittsburgh Pirates
09-15-1949
36
• Died during an emergency appendectomy
Willard Hershberger
Cincinnati Reds
08-03-1940
30
• Committed suicide
Len Koenecke
Brooklyn Dodgers
09-17-1935
31
• Battered with a fire extinguisher by member of airplane crew
Hal Carlson
Chicago Cubs
05-28-1930
38
• Stomach hemorrhage
Urban Shocker
New York Yankees
09-09-1928
38
• Heart problems and pneumonia
Ray Chapman
Cleveland Indians
08-17-1920
29
• Skull fracture after being hit by a pitch
Addie Joss
Cleveland Indians
04-14-1911
31
• Tubercular meningitis
Ed Delahanty
Washington Senators
07-09-1903
35
• Found dead in Niagara Falls
Doc Powers
Philadelphia Athletics
04-26-1909
38
• Internal injuries after crashing into wall
Doc McJames
Washington Senators
09-23-1901
27
• Carriage flipped after horse bolted
Cubs reliever Hal Carlson, 38, dies suddenly of a stomach ulcer hemorrhage. The previous evening he had complained about stomach cramps while sitting with teammates in the lobby of Chicago's Carlos Hotel, Hours later, he called the Cubs trainer saying he was in great pain and an ambulance was called. But Carlson died before the ambulance arrived. He was 4-2 for the year, and had won 114 games over a 14-year career.
Sorry guys I got the list from The Baseball Almanac and obviously it is incomplete. Lyman Bostock's murder remains a bit of a mystery, he was shot in Gary, Indiana, in the back seat of a car driven by his uncle. Police later arrested the estranged husband of one of two women in the car. Not sure who was with who. By some accounts, the gunman was aiming for the woman sitting next to Bostock in the car, and by other accounts, it was a case of mistaken identity. A man named Leonard Smith served 21 months in prison for Bostock's death.
wil.
wil.
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being a lifelong angel fan i remember them all but miley slips my mind. i remember heinbenchner had made the team and was driving from camp in palm springs back to la to celebrate when his small convertible flipped.
the angels were always a snake bit team and i think we can add donnie moore to that list.
the angels were always a snake bit team and i think we can add donnie moore to that list.
all of the Bostock stories only bring back the hurt of it all
Bostock was a great guy - as pointed out - giving a month's salary to charity after he tried to give it back - but the team wouldn't (and couldn't) take it back. he wanted to do so because he felt he wasn't earning it. do we EVER think we will see an athlete today do that? didn't think so!
Bostock was a great guy - as pointed out - giving a month's salary to charity after he tried to give it back - but the team wouldn't (and couldn't) take it back. he wanted to do so because he felt he wasn't earning it. do we EVER think we will see an athlete today do that? didn't think so!
