former Kentucky baseball player who played in the minor leagues was among the 49 people killed when a commuter jet crashed during take off Sunday at Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky.Jon Hooker and wife Scarlett Parsley were on the flight heading to Atlanta. They were married before 300 friends and family members Saturday night, said former Kentucky baseball coach Keith Madison, who was in attendance.
"It's so tragic because he was so happy last night," Madison said. "It's just an incredible turn of events. It's really painful."
The 27-year-old Hooker pitched at Kentucky from 1998-01, posting a 5-5 career record with a 3.23 ERA. He signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2001 and played professionally for Independent League teams in Fargo, N.D., and Joliet, Ill., before returning to his hometown.
Hooker played for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks from 2002 to June 2004, when he was traded to the Joliet JackHammers. He was a member of the RedHawks' 2003 league championship team.
RedHawks general manager Josh Buchholz said Sunday was "a sad day for Fargo."
"Jon was a class guy and a great guy to have in Fargo," he said. "He touched a lot of people's lives. He was a fantastic teammate, he was a wonderful representative of our ballclub."
Buchholz said nine current members of the RedHawks roster, coaching staff and clubhouse staff were around when Hooker was with the team.
"There are a lot of people who knew him and loved him, and are dealing with this today," Buchholz said.
A moment of silence was held before Sunday's RedHawks game.
At Kentucky, Hooker played with future major leaguers Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Joe Blanton of the Oakland Athletics.
Hooker, of London, Ky., was working as a parole counselor and social worker while Parsley was in graduate school at Kentucky after graduating from Centre College, Madison said.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
"It's so tragic because he was so happy last night," Madison said. "It's just an incredible turn of events. It's really painful."
The 27-year-old Hooker pitched at Kentucky from 1998-01, posting a 5-5 career record with a 3.23 ERA. He signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2001 and played professionally for Independent League teams in Fargo, N.D., and Joliet, Ill., before returning to his hometown.
Hooker played for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks from 2002 to June 2004, when he was traded to the Joliet JackHammers. He was a member of the RedHawks' 2003 league championship team.
RedHawks general manager Josh Buchholz said Sunday was "a sad day for Fargo."
"Jon was a class guy and a great guy to have in Fargo," he said. "He touched a lot of people's lives. He was a fantastic teammate, he was a wonderful representative of our ballclub."
Buchholz said nine current members of the RedHawks roster, coaching staff and clubhouse staff were around when Hooker was with the team.
"There are a lot of people who knew him and loved him, and are dealing with this today," Buchholz said.
A moment of silence was held before Sunday's RedHawks game.
At Kentucky, Hooker played with future major leaguers Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Joe Blanton of the Oakland Athletics.
Hooker, of London, Ky., was working as a parole counselor and social worker while Parsley was in graduate school at Kentucky after graduating from Centre College, Madison said.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press
