They are perhaps the best-known baseball team in history – the New York Yankees. And it seems that either you love them or you hate them. Over the years, they have dominated the World Series of baseball, winning far more championships than any other team (26). Their salaries are something many a young minor leaguer dreams of and their history of great players is undeniable.
But, with the good must come the bad and even the great Yankees have seen their share of sorrow. Most everyone knows the story of Lou Gehrig, the Iron Horse of baseball. The first baseman was stricken in his prime by a fatal disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (often known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). One of the all time greats, Mickey Mantle was an exceptional player on the field, yet died of liver cancer after years of abusing alcohol. There was the 1979 airplane crash that took the life of World Series catcher Thurman Munson. Yankee closer Mariano Rivera had to deal with the tragic deaths of his two cousins who were electrocuted in the pool of his Panama home.
And now, there is the newest tragedy. I was horrified to hear today that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. As scenes of 9/11 ran through my mind, I tried to calm down as I continued reading the story. Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle’s Cirrus SR-20 flew into the Belaire Condominiums on 72nd street. Emergency workers found Lidle’s passport in the street and it was verified that he and his flight instructor were in the plane at the time of the crash. Now word yet on what caused the crash although CNN is reporting that a mayday from the pilot about a fuel problem was received before the crash. Fortunately, no residents in the condominiums were injured by the crash.
Lidle was 4-3 for the Yankees, having just been acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of July. He is survived by his wife, Melanie Varela, and his six-year-old son, Christopher Taylor. Please keep them both in your prayers.