Two Baseball Deaths
I found it somewhat odd today that I read about two very different baseball deaths that occurred Sunday. One was that of minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh. Mike was hit in the head by a line drive during a game between the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, for whom Mike was a first base coach, and the Arkansas Travelers. After he was hit, CPR was administered and he was taken to Baptist Medical Center in North Little Rock, but pronounced dead at 9:47 pm.
Mike had two small boys and another baby on the way. What struck me as odd was he was so young – he was only 35 years old. On the same day I read this story, I also read another story about the oldest former major leaguer dying as well. Rolland Mays Stiles pitched for the St. Louis Browns from 1930 – 1933. Stiles had the privilege of pitching against one of the best hitters in baseball history – Babe Ruth. He died at a nursing home at the ripe old age of 100.
Bonds Closes in on a Record
Barry Bonds is just two home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron’s major league record of 755. You would think fans and the media would be in a frenzy, following his every move like they did Mark McGuire when he broke Roger Maris’ single season home run record of 70 (which has since, by the way, been broken by Barry Bonds).
But in reality, it seems that few even care. A poll conducted by ABC News and ESPN saw 52% of fans were rooting against Bonds breaking the record (although right now, it seems more a matter of “when” than “if”). Only 57% said they would recognize his achievement and only 58% said they think he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Only a little more than 50% think he should be in the Hall of Fame. That is just crazy.
I don’t know if it is Bonds general less-than-apple-pie attitude towards both fans and media or if it is the steroids scandal that has hurt him. I do know that last week, as he closed in on the record, even the commissioner of baseball decided to not show up. Bud Selig has said if he is in attendance when Bonds does break the record, he will not participate in any on-field celebration. Sound to me as if Bonds may be celebrating his greatness alone.