CutBank
Volume 1
Issue 78 CutBank 78
Article 27
Spring 2013
Notable Deaths in Major League Baseball
Ian Golding
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Golding, Ian (2013) "Notable Deaths in Major League Baseball," CutBank: Vol. 1: Iss. 78, Article 27.
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Ia n G o l d i n g
N
otable
D
M a j o r L e a g u e Ba s e b a l l
(1900 TO PRESENT)
eaths
in
" B i g E d ’ D e l a h a n t y (b. O c t o b e r 3 0, 1867 - d. J u l y 2, 1 9 0 3) is
c u r r e n t l y the o n l y pl ay er e n s h r i n e d in t he Baseball H a l l o f Lame
w h o d i ed t u m b l i n g d o w n N i a g a r a f a l l s . D e s p i t e career h i g h l i g h t s
(t he f i f t h h i ghe st b a t t i n g average in h i s t o r y , t he o n l y p l a y e r to w i n
b a t t i n g t it les i n b o t h the A m e r i c a n and N a t i o n a l Leagues, and
h i t t i n g f o u r i n s i d e - t h e - p a r k h o m e r u n s in one g ame) , his deat h
o u t s h i n e s his l i f e ’s a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s .
R e mo v e d f r o m a t r a i n at
the C a n a d i a n b o r d e r f o r d r u n k e n l y t h r e a t e n i n g passengers w i t h a
s t r a i g h t razor, he d ec i d e d to cross the b r i d g e t o t he U n i t e d States
by f o o t .
Big E d ” never reached the o t h e r side. Seven days later,
his bat t ere d body, m i s s i n g c lo the s a n d a leg, was p u l l e d f r o m the
base o f the ma je st i c w a t e r f a l l .
K e i t h A l b e r t o n (b. N o v e m b e r 20, 198 2) has a Fe r ra r i and a t a t ­
t oo on his chest s t a r i n g " I ’ve g o t m y t o n g u e d o w n k a r m a s [ s i c ]
throat
and he is m y b r o t h e r . A f t e r b r e a k i n g f o u r t e e n state h i g h
school records, he was d r a f t e d by the P i t t s b u r g h Pirates on his
eighteenth birthday.
T h o u g h he refused to p l a y u n t i l t r a d e d , he
has since b at t e d above . 3 15 every m o n t h except t w i c e ( M a y 2 0 0 5 ,
J u l y 2 0 0 8 ) . This season he is f i f t h in t o t a l h it s, s i x t h in m o s t j e r ­
seys sold, a nd in seven days he w i l l be dead.
M i c h a e l R i l e y “ D o c ” Powers (b. S e p t e m b e r 2 2, 1 87 0 - d. A p r i l
26, 1909) was b o t h a c a tc h er and a l icensed p h y s i c i a n . H e was
b e h i n d the plate f o r t he g r a n d o p e n i n g o f his t e a m ’s n e w sta­
dium.
1 he bleachers f i l l e d , the a ir b u z z i n g w i t h e x c i t e m e n t , as
an o p p o n e n t h i t a r o u t i n e f o u l ball b e h i n d t he plate. “ D o c ” P o w ­
ers, u n f a m i l i a r w i t h the d i m e n s i o n s o f t he n ew f i e l d , gave chase
and p r o m p t l y c o l l i d e d h e a d l o n g i n t o the w a l l . F a i l i n g t o recover,
“ D o c ’ stated t h a t a pr ega me cheese s a n d w i c h had ma de h i m i l l ;
108
however , this di a gnos i s was w r o n g . It was, in fact, ext ensi ve i n t e r ­
nal injury. H e was de a d w i t h i n t wo w'eeks.
La u r e n A l b e r t o n (b. Au g u s t 10, 1958) has been u n a b l e to wo r k
s i nce b r e a k i n g he r hi p a n d t wo ver t e br as in a bizarr e g a r d e n i n g
ac c i de nt . H e r p e r s ona l p o s t - a c c i d e n t r ecor d lor mo s t c on s e c u t i v e
days in bed is t h i r t y four. D u r i n g her p r i m e , she hel d t hr ee jobs
(secretary, n e w s p a p e r delivery, a n d h o u s e p a i n t e r ) whi l e Keit h
a n d I were in gr ade s chool . Bot h c h i l d r e n received s t a n d a r d e d u ­
c at i on a n d en j oyed a relatively c o m f o r t a b l e y o u t h , b u t d u e to her
bus y s c h e d u l e also e x p e r i e n c e d a h o u s e h o l d l a cki ng a cer t ai n d e ­
gree o f a t t e n t i o n a n d n u r t u r i n g . H e r i na bi l i t y to pr o v i d e a weekl y
a l l owa nc e is o f t e n refer enced by Kei t h as p r oof of her negl i gence.
W h e n asked by r e po r t e r s w h y he refuses to hel p his mo t h e r , Kei t h
s t at ed t ha t his “ i n c o m e tax pays for her a n d a mi l l i on o t h e r l e e c h ­
es every year.
W h i l e it is t r u e t ha t g o v e r n m e n t assi st ance pai d
for L a u r e n s r e p l a c e me n t hi p, a m b u l a n c e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , a nd t he
ane s t he s i ol ogi s t , t he bill r e ma i n s u n p a i d for t hr ee ve r t e br a e s u r ­
geries, e i ght weeks of hos pi t al stay, a n d ext ensi ve r e ha b i l i t a t i o n .
T h e r e are hill col l ect or s, t hr ea t of b a n k r u p t c y , a nd a lien on her
mo d e s t h o m e , b u t as t he baseball season nears t he Al l - St ar break,
L a u r e n s a t t e n t i o n is o f t e n o n t he small bl ack a n d w h i t e t el evi ­
sion besi de her bed, eyes fixed o n t he s on w h o has not seen her
in years.
De r n e l l S t e n s o n (b. J u n e 17, 1978 — d. N o v e m b e r 5, 2 0 0 3 ) was
t he s on o f a l u mb e r j a c k , a n d he pl ayed t hi r t y- s even ga me s wi t h
t he C i n c i n n a t i Reds bef ore he was b o u n d , s hot t hr ee t i mes in
the ches t a nd head, a n d r u n over wi t h his o wn vehicle. Hi s ex­
gi r l f r i end, w h o had at t i mes faked b o t h pr e g n a n c i e s a n d suici des,
had t ext ed h i m “ I swear Der nel l U R w o r t h a M u r d e r c ha r ge 4
& t hat is all U R w o r t h . ” F o u r m e n wer e e v e n t u a l l y ar r es t ed a nd
dotting
109
f o und guilty o f first-degree murder , k i d n a p p i n g , a r m e d robbery,
a u t o t he f t , a n d h i n d e r i n g p r o s e c u t i o n . C h a r g e s a g a i n s t o n e s u s ­
pe c t we r e d r o p p e d u p o n d i s c o v e r i n g t h a t he was a g o v e r n m e n t
i n f o r m a n t in wi t n e s s p r o t e c t i o n .
A n t i f r e e z e ( c ol l i ga t i ve a g e n t ) has b e c o m e t h e p r i m a r y m e t h o d in
t h e a u t o m o t i v e i n d u s t r y for n o t o n l y l o w e r i n g t h e f r e e z i n g p o i n t
of wa t e r , b u t also i n c r e a s i n g t h e b o i l i n g p o i n t . C h e a p a n d r e a di l y
a vai l abl e, it c a n d o m o r e t h a n p r o t e c t ve hi c l e s f r o m t h e e l e m e n t s .
As r e p o r t e d by t h e U. S. p o i s o n c e n t e r , a n t i f r e e z e c a u s e d m o r e
h u m a n d e a t h s in 2 0 0 3 t h a n a n y o t h e r c h e m i c a l . D u e t o its s we e t
t ast e a n d e m e r a l d col or , t h e l i q u i d is o f t e n c o n s u m e d by c h i l d r e n
o u t o f cur i os i t y, t h o u g h t he m a j o r i t y o f a d u l t cases i n v o l v e a c ­
c i d e n t or f oul play. U p o n m i x i n g w i t h a n y s w e e t e n e d , c o l o r e d
be ve r a ge , a n t i f r e e z e b e c o m e s a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e t o r e c o g n i z e .
L y m a n We s l e y B o s t o c k , Jr. (b. N o v e m b e r 2 2 , 1 9 3 0 - d. S e p t e m ­
be r 23, 1 9 7 8) f i n i s h e d t wi c e in t he t o p f o u r for A m e r i c a n L e a g u e
b a t t i n g aver ages . U p o n a r o u g h s t a r t t o t h e 1 9 7 8 s e a s o n , L y m a n
a t t e m p t e d t o r e t u r n his Apr i l salary, s t a t i n g h e h a d n o t e a r n e d
it. W h e n t h e t e a m r e f us e d, he r e v i e we d t h o u s a n d s o f c h a r i t i e s t o
f i nd t h e m o s t d e s e r v i n g o f t h e m o n e y . Af t e r a g a m e in C h i c a g o ,
L y ma n vi si t ed a w o m a n he t u t o r e d as a c h i l d . Af t e r t h e m e e t i n g ,
L y m a n a g r e e d t o gi ve t h e w o m a n a n d h e r f r i e n d a r i de. W h i l e
t h e y we r e s t o p p e d at a r ed l i ght , t h e e s t r a n g e d h u s b a n d o f o n e o f
t h e w o m e n p u l l e d u p b e s i d e t h e car, l e a n e d o u t t h e w i n d o w , a n d
f ired a . 4 1 0 c a l i b e r s h o t g u n i n t o t h e ve hi c l e , c a t c h i n g L y m a n in
t he t e m p l e . H e was ki l l ed i ns t a nt l y. I he m u r d e r e r wa s f o u n d n o t
g u i l t y by r e a s on of i ns ani t y. Se ve n m o n t h s l at e r he was d e e m e d
m e n t a l l y s o u n d a n d r el eased.
1 he Ka ns a s C i t y h o t e l ( H i l t o n , c o m p l i m e n t a r y ) m a n a g e m e n t s
Golding
reques t for l owe r i n g noi se goes i gnor e d as Kei t h, c u r r e n t l y l ocked
in his r o o m wi t h an Eas t er n E u r o p e a n mo d e l a n d a clip o f h i m ­
self o n Spor t s C e n t e r s t op 10 plays for t ha t Tuesday, c o n t i n u e s
his r a mp a g e . For fift een h o u r s t he t wo wa t c h t he d i v i n g - g r a b t u r n e d - t r i p l e - p l a y on repeat whi l e c o n s u m i n g e n o u g h c oc a i n e to
kill an average user; however, it is a p p a r e n t t ha t b o t h are p r o f e s ­
sional s a nd have little fear o f an overdose. At f our A . M. Keit h
calls M o m , his t h r o a t weak f r o m s c r e a mi n g , his nose c r u s t e d w'ith
dr i ed bl ood. H e does not talk a b o u t her he a l t h, his c h i l d h o o d . He
does n ot call her mo t h e r , b u t S t e p h e n , a nd he d e m a n d s a large
p e p p e r o n i pizza. Tho u g h Laur e n begs for h i m to cal m d o w n a n d
talk, he c o n t i n u e s yel ling, o r d e r i n g br eads t i cks a n d r anch d r e s s ­
ing. W h e n he h a ng s up, M o m calls me in tears, like she does every
t i me, a n d de s p i t e t he c o n s t a n t as s ur a nc e o f my love, she still sobs
because I a m never e n o u g h .
“Marty
Ber gen (b. O c t o b e r 25, 1871 — d. J a n u a r y 19, 1900)
pl ayed 3 4 4 games as a c a t c h e r for t he Bos t on Beaneat ers. Pri or to
his m u r d e r - s u i c i d c , “ M a r t y ’ was k n o w n for his q u i c k t h r o w i n g
a r m a n d o v e r w h e l m i n g p a r a noi a . Base r u n n e r s feared h i m a nd
he feared e v e r y o n e ’s role in his s us pe c t e d e ve n t ua l mu r d e r . O n c e
r e mo v e d f r om a g a m e for d o d g i n g pi t ches , h a l l u c i n a t i n g t h e m as
kni fe t hr us t s , he refused me d i c i n e , bel i evi ng t h a t a n o t h e r player
had t a m p e r e d wi t h it. Af t er t he i nve s t i gat i on, it was c o n c l u d e d
t h a t “M a r t y
used an axe to kill his wife, s on, a n d d a u g h t e r before
near l y d e c a p i t a t i n g h i m s e l f wi t h a s t r a i ght razor.
The digest i ve s ys t em ( h u m a n g a s t r o n o m i c a l tract) is r es pons i bl e
lor t he adver se effects o f ant i f r eeze c o n s u m p t i o n . S h o r t l y aft er i n ­
ges t i on, t h e vi c t i m will a p p e a r d i s o r i e n t a t e d as t h o u g h he or she
is i nt oxi c a t e d . C h a n c e s o f s t o m a c h pai n, nausea, a n d v o m i t i n g
Golding
111
i n c r e a s e as t h e f l u i d is b r o k e n d o w n . As t h e a n t i f r e e z e is m e t a b o ­
l i zed a n d a b s o r b e d , it b e g i n s a f f e c t i n g d i f f e r e n t p o r t i o n s o f t h e
b o d y , c a u s i n g a n i n c r e a s e in h e a r t r a t e , b l o o d p r e s s u r e , b r e a t h i n g ,
a n d m u s c l e r ef l exes, o f t e n r e s u l t i n g in c o n g e s t i v e h e a r t f a i l u r e .
W i t h i n twenty-four hours the brain and kidneys stop working.
U r i n e is n o l o n g e r p r o d u c e d a n d t h e v i c t i m falls i n t o a c o m a . If
t r e a t e d i m m e d i a t e l y , r e c o v e r y is p o s s i b l e , t h o u g h s u r v i v o r s s u f f e r
p e r m a n e n t i n t e r n a l d a m a g e . F o u r t e a s p o o n s c a n kill a d o g , o n e
o u n c e is p o t e n t i a l l y l e t h a l t o a n a d u l t , a n d w h i l e K e i t h t r a ve l s
t o Ka n s a s C i t y , five o u n c e s wi l l b e r e a d y i n hi s G a t o r a d e f or hi s
return.
C ha r l es Sylvester " C h i c k
S t a h l (b. J a n u a r y 10, 1 8 7 3 - d. M a r c h
2 8 , 1 9 0 7 ) w o n t h e fi rst W o r l d Se r i e s a n d f o u r p e n n a n t s in s e v e n
s e a s o n s . A l r e a d y a s t a r p l a y e r a n d f l u s h w i t h l ove af f a i r s a c r o s s t h e
c o u n t r y , hi s l u c k c o n t i n u e d w h e n h e wa s p r o m o t e d t o m a n a g e r .
W i t h e x p e c t a t i o n s hi gh, “("hick" b eg a n t he 1 9 0 7 season by d r i n k ­
i n g f o u r o u n c e s o f c a r b o l i c a c i d . K n o w n f o r hi s s u n n y d i s p o s i ­
t i o n , t h e s u i c i d e wa s m a d e e v e n m o r e m y s t e r i o u s b y hi s s u i c i d e
n o t e : “ Boys , I j u s t c o u l d n ’t h e l p it. It d r o v e m e t o it.
“ it
Perhaps
r ef er s t o t h e t e a m ’s p o o r pl ay, t h e p r e s s u r e f o r i m p r o v e m e n t ,
o r ( . h i c k ’s b e i n g b l a c k m a i l e d f or i m p r e g n a t i n g a w o m a n o u t o f
wedlock.
K e i t h s t r a i n e r ( b r o w n b e l t in t a e k w o n d o , e i g h t y e a r s s t e r o i d us e)
has c r e a t e d a s p e c i a l r o u t i n e t h a t f o c u s e s o n t h e a bs . W i t h a n
u p c o m i n g we s t c o a s t t r i p , K e i t h w a n t s t o l o o k g o o d . Real g o o d ,
he o r d e r s . H e d o e s c r u n c h e s , h u n d r e d s o f t h e m , f o r h o u r s . T h e
s p a r e k e y t o hi s s u b u r b a n m a n s i o n is t o b e u s e d o n l y f o r f e e d i n g
hi s pi t b u l l s a n d , t o d a y , m u r d e r .
Upon returning home,
Keith
d o e s n o t n o t i c e a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n hi s r e f l e c t i o n i n t h e s t a i n l e s s
Golding
steel r ef r i ge r at or . H e s t r i ps d o w n a n d likes w h a t he sees. Hi s pecs,
t a t t o o s , a n d , o f c o u r s e , his abs, still g l i s t e n i n g w i t h p o s t - w o r k o u t
dew. The a d m i r a t i o n is p a u s e d br i e f l y as he g r a b s t h e G a t o r a d e , a
p i c t u r e o f h i m s e l f m i d - s w i n g r u n n i n g u p t h e side. In e i g h t gul ps ,
he f i ni s hes t he b o t t l e a n d r e t u r n s t o f l e xi ng at t h e a p p l i a n c e . In
t h e s h o we r , he lets t h e h o t w a t e r s pl as h a g a i n s t his s h o u l d e r s , lets
it f l ow d o w n his f i r m b o d y as he rests his h e a d a g a i n s t t h e wal l.
H e r ea c he s for t h e s o a p b u t f al t ers, r i p p i n g t h e vi nyl c u r t a i n f r o m
t h e r i ngs as he falls. D a m p a n d d i s o r i e n t e d , he s t u m b l e s t o t he
mi r r o r , a n d t h o u g h he tri es t o w i p e a wa y t h e c o n d e n s a t i o n , he is
u n a b l e t o f ocus , t o see hi ms e l f . Af t e r a few tries, he t ypes t h e r i g h t
n u m b e r i n t o his p h o n e . T h e p e r s o n o n t he o t h e r e n d i n f o r m s t h e
st ar a t h l e t e t h a t i n t e n s i v e exer ci se o f t e n caus e s f eel i ngs o f i n t o x i ­
c a t i o n a n d g r o g g i n e s s , a n d , a c c o r d i n g t o me d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s ,
t h e be s t s o l u t i o n is t o relax a n d let t h e f eel i ngs r u s h ove r h i m.
I h r o u g h s l u r r e d wo r d s , K e i t h agrees, b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h i n g s will be
b e t t e r t o m o r r o w as he lies d o w n o n t h e cool m a r b l e tiles.
Golding
1 13