10/26/14

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are a very successful team. They won the World Series in 2006 and 2011. The Cardinals have also had many great players like Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and Chris Carpenter. While the Cardinals have had a lot of success, they have endured a lot of tragedy. On June 22, 2002, the Cardinals had an afternoon game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Pitcher Darryl Kile was scheduled to make the start. When the Cardinals bus arrived at Wrigley Field, there was no sign of Kile. Members of the Cardinals management called Kile's room and called the security at the Westin Hotel. The security entered the room to see Kile's lifeless body in bed with sleeping blinds over his eyes and his arm across his torso. It was determined that Kile died of a heart attack caused by stiffened arteries. The game was subsequently postponed. In 2007, the Cardinals endured another death. After the Cardinals lost the April 28 game to the Chicago Cubs by a score of 8-1, Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock was purchasing some beer for a party that he was going to host. Hancock was subsequently killed in a car accident in the morning hours of April 29. It was revealed that Josh Hancock had a blood-alcohol level that was double the legal limit in Missouri. The game on April 29 was postponed and many stadiums across Major League Baseball held a moment of silence for the loss of the Cardinals' reliever. Just today, the Cardinals endured another fatality. Rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras was driving back to his hometown in the Dominican Republic with his girlfriend. Taveras, who had just made his Major League debut this year and had hit a key pinch-hit solo home run in the playoffs against the San Francisco Giants, was killed in a car accident along with his girlfriend. When these tragic events occur, we should realize that we should not take life for granted. Life is so short. We should all live life to the fullest. Even though I am a huge Pirates fan and I detest the Cardinals, I extend my sympathies to the Cardinals during this tragic time. Rest in peace, Darryl Kile, Josh Hancock, and Oscar Taveras.