Cards Reliever Dies In Car Accident

[Senators2005]

Man...I wouldn't want to be a Cardinals relief pitcher...those guys appear to have some bad luck!  (I'll move this over to the other section after everybody's had a chance to see this tragic news)...

Cardinals P Hancock dies in car accident    
April 29, 2007
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports     
 
ST. LOUIS -- Josh Hancock, a key member of the bullpen that helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season, was killed in a car crash early Sunday.

The Cardinals said they were told of the 29-year-old reliever's death by the St. Louis Police Department. The team's home game against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night was postponed.

The team said the accident happened in St. Louis, but no other details were disclosed. The Cardinals and police are expected to make a statement this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Hancock has pitched for four major league clubs. He went 3-3 in 62 regular-season appearances for the Cardinals last season and pitched in three postseason games. He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in eight games this season.

Hancock joined the Cardinals before the 2006 season. He has pitched for Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

[UMDNats]

Saw this while watching the draft. Sad story. You hate to see someone so young pass away like that.

[nats2playoffs]

         Joshua Morgan Hancock
           04/11/1978-04/29/2007

[2k6nats]

When one man dies, it's a tragedy.
When a thousand men die, it's a statistic.

[kimnat]

That's so sad!

[nospinzone1]

Man...I wouldn't want to be a Cardinals relief pitcher...those guys appear to have some bad luck!  (I'll move this over to the other section after everybody's had a chance to see this tragic news)...

Cardinals P Hancock dies in car accident    
April 29, 2007
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports     
 
ST. LOUIS -- Josh Hancock, a key member of the bullpen that helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season, was killed in a car crash early Sunday.

The Cardinals said they were told of the 29-year-old reliever's death by the St. Louis Police Department. The team's home game against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night was postponed.

The team said the accident happened in St. Louis, but no other details were disclosed. The Cardinals and police are expected to make a statement this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Hancock has pitched for four major league clubs. He went 3-3 in 62 regular-season appearances for the Cardinals last season and pitched in three postseason games. He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in eight games this season.

Hancock joined the Cardinals before the 2006 season. He has pitched for Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

MY CARDINALS SEEM TO HAVE THE JOE SPIZZFIC (OR WHICHEVER WAY SPELLS THE NAME OF THAT CARTOON CHARACTER WITH BAD LUCK) SYNDROME. SEEMS THAT BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO US AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SEASON. SO SAD TO LOSE A YOUNG MAN LIKE THAT.

[iluvryanzimmerman]

R.I.P

[PC]

Cops: Hancock Drunk at Time of Accident

By BETSY TAYLOR
The Associated Press
Friday, May 4, 2007; 12:20 PM

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock was drunk and talking on his cell phone at the time of his fatal accident, and marijuana was found in the sport utility vehicle he was driving.

Medical Examiner Michael Graham said at a news conference Friday that the 29-year-old was dead "within seconds" from head injuries in the crash early Sunday on Interstate 64 in St. Louis. His vehicle hit the back of a tow truck parked on the highway to assist a driver from a previous accident.

"There is nothing at all that could have been done for him," Graham said.

Hancock's blood-alcohol level was 0.157, nearly twice Missouri's legal limit of 0.08, Graham said.

Police Chief Joe Mokwa said 8.55 grams of marijuana and a glass pipe used to smoke marijuana were found in the rented Ford Explorer. Toxicology tests to determine if drugs were in his system had not been completed.

An accident reconstruction team determined Hancock was traveling 68 mph in a 55 mph zone when his SUV struck the back of a flatbed tow truck stopped in a driving lane. Mokwa said there was no evidence Hancock tried to stop. He did swerve, but too late to avoid the collision.

Hancock was not wearing a seat belt, but Graham said the belt would not have prevented his death.

Mokwa said cell phone records showed Hancock was speaking with a female acquaintance at about the time of the accident. Mokwa said the conversation about baseball and baseball tickets ended abruptly, presumably when the accident occurred.

Hancock, a key bullpen member on the World Series championship team last season, was driving alone. The tow truck driver was not hurt.

Hancock, who pitched three innings of relief in last Saturday's 8-1 loss to the Cubs, left Busch Stadium around 6:30 p.m. and arrived about two hours later at Mike Shannon's, a restaurant and bar owned by the former Cardinals third baseman who now is a team broadcaster. Police said Hancock left Shannon's shortly after midnight.

Around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, the tow truck came upon a disabled Geo Prism and stopped behind it with its yellow lights flashing to protect the car. A few moments later, Hancock's SUV struck the rear of the tow truck.

"If you drink, don't drive," Mokwa said. "Use a taxi. Have a designated driver. Call a friend."

Graham said Hancock had severe chest injuries as well as the fatal head injuries.

An estimated 500 mourners turned out Thursday for a memorial service for Hancock in Tupelo, Miss., recalling the pitcher as a goodhearted prankster. Among the mourners were Hancock's teammates, coaches, manager Tony La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty. Hancock was buried Wednesday in rural Itawamba County, Miss.

Hancock made his major league debut in September 2002 and played for four major league clubs. He went 3-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 62 regular-season appearances for the Cardinals last season, leading the bullpen in innings, and pitched in three postseason games.

He was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in eight games this season.

Hancock joined the Cardinals in spring training last season after Cincinnati released him for violating a weight clause in his contract. He also pitched for Boston and Philadelphia.

The Cardinals postponed a home game the day of the accident against Chicago and haven't won since. They were swept in a three-game series in Milwaukee and had a day off Thursday.

Just three days before the fatal wreck, Hancock was involved in another accident. The front bumper of his SUV was torn off in the wreck with a tractor-trailer that happened at 5:30 a.m. April 26 in Sauget, Ill., after Hancock inched forward into an intersection to make a left turn.

Hancock's death marked the second time in five years the Cardinals have mourned the loss of a teammate. Pitcher Darryl Kyle was found dead in his Chicago hotel room in 2002. Kyle, 33, died of coronary artery blockage.

___

Associated Press Writer Jim Salter in St. Louis contributed to this report.
© 2007 The Associated Press

[tomterp]

Checklist for killing yourself while driving:

Drunk off your ass.  Check.
Smokin' dope.  Check.
Talking on the cell phone.  Check.
Speeding.  Check
Seat belt not connected.  Check

Have I left anything off?  This would seem to be a pretty comprehensive list of what not to do when driving.

[Senators2005]

Unfortunately people like that usually end up living after a car accident...and the sober people around them die.  Shame for such a young and obviously talented individual.  I bet LaRussa feels just about like a warm bucket of spit right about now.  Way to set an example Tony.   

[2k6nats]

I bet LaRussa feels just about like a warm bucket of spit right about now.  Way to set an example Tony.   

At the same time, LaRussa isn't responsible for this at all.  MLB players are grown men, and make decisions for themselves.

[Senators2005]

At the same time, LaRussa isn't responsible for this at all.  MLB players are grown men, and make decisions for themselves.

True but alot of them have the maturity of teenagers because they've never really been out in the real world.  That's why we call them "kids".  These guys look up to the managers and coaches for everything on how you are supposed to act as a major league baseball player - on and off the field.  Their influence is immeasurable.  Ask anybody who's played the game - they'll tell you that alot of kids learn what it is to be a man from their skippers.