Cardinals Pitcher Josh Hancock Dies in Car Crash

[beowulf28]

Some things are more important than baseball, and I wish the best for the Cardinals and Hancock's family.

 

I totally agree. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hancock family. So sad.

[CubsInNC]

Some things are more important than baseball, and I wish the best for the Cardinals and Hancock's family.

 

I totally agree. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hancock family. So sad.

 

Sadness and prayers for the Cardinal family, as well as those close to Josh. Sadness and prayers to those close to the people who died today in Iraq, Darfur, Afghanistan, Missouri, as well as those whose deaths didn't make the national news, or possibly even the local news.

[Chris]

From the Cubs Media:

 

STATEMENT FROM CUBS PRESIDENT JOHN McDONOUGH

REGARDING THE DEATH OF ST. LOUIS PITCHER JOSH HANCOCK

 

Sunday, April 29, 2007

 

Chicago Cubs President John McDonough issued the following statement this afternoon in regards to the death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock:

 

“The Chicago Cubs are terribly saddened by the sudden passing of Josh Hancock. On behalf of the Chicago Cubs organization and our fans, I extend our deepest sympathies to the Hancock family and the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”

[snoodmonger]

sad stuff. did he have a wife or kids?

[Banedon]

sad stuff. did he have a wife or kids?

 

Neither.

[KyHen]

This will most likely be even more tactless than the Halloween costume thing... but I find it hard to believe that this would happen without any alcohol being involved. If the autopsy proves he was sober then I'll feel bad, but until then it's just another death in the world.

 

You have a right to an opinion but it sounds like you're saying, "if he was drinking and driving he had it coming." That's how your post comes off to me.

 

You have to know he was sober before you feel bad?

[Guest]

I don't really understand this story - the tow truck was blocking a travel lane on a major highway? And the only warning was the tow trucks flashing yellow lights on the front of the truck? I don't know anything about Missouri, but everywhere I've lived, if you block a travel lane, you have flares and 99 percent of the time there would be a patrol car or two behind the tow truck. I really don't understand what happened in this accident.

 

And for those of you assuming alcohol, you do realize that at 70 mph it would be pretty tough to tell a moving tow truck from a stopped one in the fast lane of the freeway. To me, this sounds like a problem with the emergency services and/or tow truck. This is a sad event although thousands are killed on the highway every year. Perhaps some people should think about how they drive and realize this could happen to them if they don't start driving better.

[Omar]

I don't really understand this story - the tow truck was blocking a travel lane on a major highway? And the only warning was the tow trucks flashing yellow lights on the front of the truck? I don't know anything about Missouri, but everywhere I've lived, if you block a travel lane, you have flares and 99 percent of the time there would be a patrol car or two behind the tow truck. I really don't understand what happened in this accident.

 

And for those of you assuming alcohol, you do realize that at 70 mph it would be pretty tough to tell a moving tow truck from a stopped one in the fast lane of the freeway. To me, this sounds like a problem with the emergency services and/or tow truck. This is a sad event although thousands are killed on the highway every year. Perhaps some people should think about how they drive and realize this could happen to them if they don't start driving better.

 

I also dont really get how it happened, a visual would make more sense.

[Chris]

I'm sure things will make sense when more details come out. Here's a quote from the Dispatch:

 

He (the tow truck driver) told police that his emergency lights were on, and that he honked his horn when he saw the Explorer approaching in his rear view mirror.

 

I don't know what's more strange, not seeing the tow truck or the driver of the tow truck seeing him coming and honking. Makes me curious if it was parked around a turn or something.

 

Sad stuff.

[reggiemiller rules]

The tow truck was parked in the left lane of the highway casue there was another accident there before and the tow truck was blocking the other car in the earlier accident until the cops got there to block it off.

[snoodmonger]

i'm trying to imagine the area--Highway 40/64 just east of compton ave. I'm not sure where that is. could any st. louisians refresh my memory?

 

'cause i'm having trouble envisioning what happened, too.

[killthegoat06]

The tow truck was parked in the left lane of the highway casue there was another accident there before and the tow truck was blocking the other car in the earlier accident until the cops got there to block it off.

 

Could you make your sig smaller please?

[indifferent]

Thanks to all Cubs fans who think it is a big deal when a 29 yr. old member of our team dies, regardless of whether he was the starting pitcher tonight. 99% of the fans here were very sympathetic and gracious when told of the news. It's why other teams' fans come back here, whether you want us here or not. We appreciate the hospitality, NSBB.

[killthegoat06]

Thanks to all Cubs fans who think it is a big deal when a 29 yr. old member of our team dies, regardless of whether he was the starting pitcher tonight. 99% of the fans here were very sympathetic and gracious when told of the news. It's why other teams' fans come back here, whether you want us here or not. We appreciate the hospitality, NSBB.

 

No problem. We're glad for constructive arguments with fans of other teams.

[indifferent]

i'm trying to imagine the area--Highway 40/64 just east of compton ave. I'm not sure where that is. could any st. louisians refresh my memory?

 

'cause i'm having trouble envisioning what happened, too.

 

Snood, there's no shoulder in that stretch of highway. The tow truck was in the left lane of the highway. I'm sure it's something that will be addressed with the upcoming shutdown of 64/40. It basically happened just east of the Grand exit off 64.

[snoodmonger]

i'm trying to imagine the area--Highway 40/64 just east of compton ave. I'm not sure where that is. could any st. louisians refresh my memory?

 

'cause i'm having trouble envisioning what happened, too.

 

Snood, there's no shoulder in that stretch of highway. The tow truck was in the left lane of the highway. I'm sure it's something that will be addressed with the upcoming shutdown of 64/40. It basically happened just east of the Grand exit off 64.

 

okay, i think i can envision it now. that's awful. I just saw the car, too. pretty horiffic.

[Abe Frohman]

My cousin went to college at NEMO State, and said he frequented that road very often - and that it is pretty tough with concrete dividers or something like that. I am sure someone here might be able to confirm that.

 

Alcohol or not, it is a tragic loss, and people get killed in sober auto accidents all the time. Lost one of my best friends in a single car accident. The kid was 18 at the time, just finished his first year in the Texas Rangers organization, and had a golden arm (touched 99 on the gun, reportedly).

 

It took me a long time to accept that he was driving after a night of drinking - but ultimately that just doesn't matter. A guy died.

 

My prayers to his family, fans, and teammates. Always a terrible loss when a person passes in this manner.

[Andy]

Thanks to all Cubs fans who think it is a big deal when a 29 yr. old member of our team dies, regardless of whether he was the starting pitcher tonight. 99% of the fans here were very sympathetic and gracious when told of the news. It's why other teams' fans come back here, whether you want us here or not. We appreciate the hospitality, NSBB.

We love having you. We're just never gonna show it. :)

[WrigleyField 22]

i'm trying to imagine the area--Highway 40/64 just east of compton ave. I'm not sure where that is. could any st. louisians refresh my memory?

 

'cause i'm having trouble envisioning what happened, too.

 

It was described pretty well, but here is a map for a visual too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/snetsrak43/mao.png

 

It's right by St. Louis University, where I go, so its really weird to think about how close this happened to me.

[littleburr24]

This will most likely be even more tactless than the Halloween costume thing... but I find it hard to believe that this would happen without any alcohol being involved. If the autopsy proves he was sober then I'll feel bad, but until then it's just another death in the world.

 

You have a right to an opinion but it sounds like you're saying, "if he was drinking and driving he had it coming." That's how your post comes off to me.

 

You have to know he was sober before you feel bad?

 

Well, it came off the way it was meant to. I have zero sympathy for drunk drivers. After a drunk cop killed my friend in an accident this past summer, it's hard to say they don't have it coming.

 

And if he was fiddling with his radio, he chose a bad time to do that. If you're on a highway, you have a great amount of vision and you can tell if you're com ing up quickly on other cars. I was on a highway constantly for 6 weeks coming out to college to work at the station over break and I was driving during hours ranging from 10pm-7am.

 

But to actually say I'd feel bad is stretching it. I've dealt with death 5 times, 4 in my family. So I'm sort of desensitized to it.

 

So I guess we can just say I'm cold hearted. May he rest in peace and I hope his family and friends all pull throough it, but it really doesn't make me sad in any way whatsoever.

[sweetpeteman]

I am thinking that he might have been too tired, fatigued to be driving at 12:30am, especially after getting up early for a day game and pitching in the game. I don't think that alcohol was involved, or if it was, not in enough quantities to be considered a DUI or a DWI.

[mjohnson71]

i'm trying to imagine the area--Highway 40/64 just east of compton ave. I'm not sure where that is. could any st. louisians refresh my memory?

 

'cause i'm having trouble envisioning what happened, too.

 

I drove it just before I left St. Louis to come back to Chicago.

 

Highway 40/I-64 is a double decker raised highway from the Mississippi River to just right before this stretch. As you drive west from the river you pass the following:

-The old Ralston building converted to high end apartments

-Busch stadium

-all the old warehouses being converted to loft condos

-plain parking garage

-some government offices

-Sheraton hotel

-right as you pass the Scotrade center the highway starts going back to street level/side-by-side setup

- As you come down the hill you come to the Compton overpass.

 

It's true: there are no shoulders in this area.

[mjohnson71]

From their main columnist Bernie M

 

Just some general notes and thoughts from a sad day at Busch:

 

* Very somber as you would think.

 

* La Russa gathered the players together, and encouraged them to tell stories about Hancock, and share some memories, and yes, laughter.

 

* As you know, La Russa and Jocketty and DeWitt spoke at the media briefing, but did not field questions. Joe Strauss was able to have about a 10-minute visit with La Russa in private. ESPN was also able to get a separate interview with Tony.

 

* I was able to talk to Bill DeWitt on the phone. Tony is taking his hard, real hard. He told Strauss that making the call to Hancock's dad was the most difficult thing he's ever had to do. DeWitt is upset, which is natural. He expressed thanks for having a leader like La Russa, who is strong in these situations, and can help the team cope.

 

* I thought Lou Piniella was wonderful today; compassionate and warm and completely genuine in his comments about this, and about Tony. He reflected back during his days as a Yankee player, and they lost Thurman Munson in 1979. Piniella talked about his good friend Tony and said that he planned to visit with him before he left the stadium. He said he didn't have the words for Tony; he thought the best thing he could do was give him a hug.

 

* Jason Marquis was down.

 

* Fans are still dropping off flowers and other items at the little memorial to Hancock near the Musial statue.

 

* Darryl Kile was in everyone's thoughts... the name kept coming up all day...it's inescapable.

 

* Cardinals players were kept away from the media -- which I believe is appropriate -- but I was told that some TV stations were staking them out in the parking lot. Don't know if that is true; I haven't seen TV.

 

* The death, as we all hope, was instantaeous. Joe Walsh, the team's security director, and a good man, had to ID the body. This had to be his worst day, ever, on the job. I feel for Joe.

 

* After the accident, the police found papers in Hancock's SUV, indicating that it was his. The STL PD contacted Joe Walsh, who after it was official, called Walt Jocketty, who then called La Russa at 4 a.m. and La Russa called Josh's Dad at about 5 a.m.

 

* I kept thinking back to Thursday, when Hancock was late getting to the stadium, and how worried Isringhausen was.... because it made him think of Kile, and June 22, 2002. Unbelievable, given Izzy's concern over Hancock on Thursday, that this would happen three days later.

 

* Hancock's dad, Dean, grew up as a Cardinals fan. He was really proud of his son, and thrilled that he became a Cardinal. Josh's younger brother was a pitcher at Ole Miss. His younger sister is a highly-recruited, highly-regarded high school basketball star, being recruited by SEC schools.

 

* The Cardinals plan to charter a flight to Tupelo, Miss. to be at the funeral Thursday.

 

* Josh was apparently hanging out downtown after the game for a few hours before getting into his SUV. I know there is a lot of speculation about his condition, and I understand that, but I also think we can deal with that later, and it's appropriate to wait until the test results come back, and if there is anything to discuss, that is the time to do it. Because I don't have the facts. I don't know what happened, other than a 29-year-old man died in the prime of his life, and a lot of people are heartbroken.

 

* It's 9:15 as I type this from the pressbox at Busch, and the stadium lights are on, and the field looks great, but there are no people, no game, and it's just very depressing.

 

I'm assuming Joe Walsh is the Cardinals security guy or something like that.

[sweetpeteman]

From their main columnist Bernie M

 

* The death, as we all hope, was instantaeous. Joe Walsh, the team's security director, and a good man, had to ID the body. This had to be his worst day, ever, on the job. I feel for Joe.

 

* After the accident, the police found papers in Hancock's SUV, indicating that it was his. The STL PD contacted Joe Walsh, who after it was official, called Walt Jocketty, who then called La Russa at 4 a.m. and La Russa called Josh's Dad at about 5 a.m.

 

I'm assuming Joe Walsh is the Cardinals security guy or something like that.

[TruffleShuffle]

About 7 years ago, I was driving on I-290 around 10 AM in Worcester, Mass. when I came up on an incompetent road crew that decided to do some work in the left lane without setting up cones or anything. I came up on them really fast - you don't realize how fast a 60 mph car comes up on a stationary object - and I was able to get by them into the middle lane of the highway, but if there had been a car there, I probably would've had to hit it. I could easily see how this could happen without alcohol being involved... but we don't know either way right now.