[vincesanity82]

Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh died after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a game. The Texas League game was suspended in the ninth inning Sunday after the former major leaguer was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Tino Sanchez of the Tulsa Drillers. Coolbaugh, 35, was taken to Baptist Medical Center-North Little Rock, where he was pronounced dead.
"It's a tragedy for all of baseball," Drillers president Chuck Lamson told the Tulsa World in a story posted on the newspaper's website early Monday. "He just joined the staff and was a former Driller player. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

Travelers spokesman Phil Elson said Coolbaugh was either hit on the right side of his head or on the forehead and fell to the ground immediately. According to a report on the Drillers' website late Sunday, Coolbaugh was knocked unconscious and CPR was administered to him on the field.
Sgt. Terry Kuykendall, spokesman for North Little Rock police, said Coolbaugh was still alive when he was put in an ambulance, but stopped breathing as the ambulance arrived at the hospital.

Minor league coach dies after being hit by line drive - USATODAY.com

[EmpireWF]

Wow, you always see how dangerous foul balls are and hope they never hit anyway. Causing a death, that's just sad.

It makes you think if MLB or MiLB will ever consider suggesting coaches along the lines use helmets.

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

Wow, you always see how dangerous foul balls are and hope they never hit anyway. Causing a death, that's just sad.

It makes you think if MLB or MiLB will ever consider suggesting coaches along the lines use helmets.

yea I was thinking that when I first saw it, you always see a coach or line ump get out of the way barely on line drives, every once in a good while they may get hit in the leg, but causing death? Ive never heard of something like this happening before..

[vincesanity82]

Burst blood vessel killed coach

A preliminary autopsy report shows a burst blood vessel in Mike Coolbaugh's neck, near his brain, killed the Tulsa (Okla.) Drillers hitting coach when he was hit by a batted ball Sunday.
"It hit him in the back of the left side of his neck, kind of right below the ear," Pulaski County coroner Mark Malcolm said.
The ball compressed the left vertebral artery, which travels up the left side of the spinal column and provides blood to the brain.
The artery compressed against the vertebra at the top of his spine, at the base of the skull, and a hemorrhage was the result, Malcolm said.
Malcolm said the full autopsy report has not been completed.
He would not address whether a helmet would have saved Coolbaugh or whether, in general, a helmet could provide protection from a similarly batted ball.

Rocky Mountain News - Denver and Colorado's reliable source for breaking news, sports and entertainment: Rockies & MLB