MLB: Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock killed in car accident

April 29, 2007

Pitcher Josh Hancock passed away early Sunday after crashing his car into a tow truck. The accident occurred on Interstate 64 in St. Louis, Missouri at about 12:30am, and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 29 years old.

Josh Hancock was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1998 and made his Major League debut in 2002. He was later traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds before being signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. He was part of the 2006 World Series Cardinals team, and a current member of the Cardinals roster. He had just played in Saturday afternoon's game against the Chicago Cubs, pitching three solid innings.

Hancock was mourned around the league. The Cleveland Indians held a moment of silence before their game, displaying Hancock's picture on the scoreboard. Bud Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball, said "All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock. He was a fine young pitcher who played an important role on last year's World Series championship team."

This is the second time in recent years that a Cardinals pitcher has died during the regular season. In 2002, Darryl Kile was found dead in his room at the team's hotel during a series against the Cubs in Chicago, Illinois. The final game of the Cardinals-Cubs series, scheduled for 7:00pm tonight, has been postponed because of the tragedy.