Darryl Kile
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Darryl Andrew Kile (December 2, 1968 – June 22, 2002) was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was known for his hard-breaking curveball. Born in Garden Grove, California, Kile died in a Chicago hotel (where he was on hand for a weekend series against the rival Chicago Cubs) of coronary disease. He was the first active major league player to die during the regular season since the Yankees' Thurman Munson died in an aviation accident in 1979.
Having been successful with the Tucson Toros (the Houston Astros' AAA club) in the Pacific Coast League, Kile entered the majors in 1991, going 7-11 in 22 starts. His breakthrough came in 1993 when he pitched a no-hitter, ending the season with 15 wins and 8 losses.
In 1998 Kile signed to the Colorado Rockies as a free agent, but the thin air at Coors Field was detrimental for his overhand curve ball, with which he had previously been effective. After two seasons, in which he was a combined 21-30, Kile was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. After winning 20 games in his first season, he was still a Cardinal at the time of his death.
Kile's death coincided with the passing of St. Louis Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, who had died four days earlier. Ironically, it was Jack Buck's son Joe, who was given the task of breaking the news of Kile's suddening passing live on Fox.
Career Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
| 128 | 115 | 345 | 317 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 2080.7 | 2053 | 957 | 205 | 890 | 1618 | 4.14 |
External links
- Page at Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/K/Kile_Darryl.stm)
- Page at Baseball Reference (http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kileda01.shtml)
- Cardinals' hurler Kile dead at 33 (http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0622/1397921.html)