Brian Cole (baseball)
| Brian Cole | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: September 28, 1978 Meridian, Mississippi | |
| Died: March 31, 2001 (aged 22) Marianna, Florida | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right |
Brian Keith Cole (September 28, 1978 – March 31, 2001) was a professional baseball outfielder. Cole played in Minor League Baseball for the New York Mets organization from 1998 to 2000, becoming one of the top prospects in baseball. He died in a car accident at the age of 22 in 2001.
Career
Cole was born in
The
Cole was then drafted by the
Prior to the 2001 season, Cole was ranked by Baseball America as the Mets third best prospect and the 64th best in all of baseball.[6][7] He was invited to spring training for the first time that season, where he impressed coaches, including Mookie Wilson.[8]
Death
On March 31, 2001, Cole was driving to his parents' home in Meridian from Mets spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida, when he lost control of his vehicle, causing it to roll numerous times and flip over. He had been trying to reenter the road after another car had entered his lane causing him to enter the median. Cole, who was not wearing his seat belt, was ejected from the car causing major injuries to his skull, brain, lungs and several other organs. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a few hours later.[3][9][10] His cousin was also in the car, but was wearing a seat belt and avoided serious injury.
In 2010, his family won $131 million in a lawsuit filed against the Ford Motor Company, claiming that the Ford Explorer (the car Cole was driving) is "defective and unreasonably dangerous for the uses for which it was marketed because the vehicle has an unreasonable tendency to roll when used as Ford marketed it to be used [as a station wagon replacement], and that the vehicle is also defective and unreasonably dangerous from an occupant protection or 'crashworthiness' standpoint because the safety belt failed to remain locked and permitted Brian to be thrown from the car and killed."[11][12]
Teammate and friend Pat Strange named his son Brian Cole Strange, in honor of Cole.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "Brian Cole: He was the one who was going to make it'". Franklin County Times. April 6, 2001. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "SMALLISH PROSPECT IS METS' MISTER BIG". New York Post. July 23, 2000. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Best Player You Never Saw". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ a b "Sarasota High grad spurs SI story". HeraldTribune.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "Appraising Arizona: AFL's all-time best". Boston.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "New York Mets Top 10 Prospects". Baseball America. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "Baseball America's top propects, 10 years later". The Orange County Register. February 23, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ TYLER KEPNER (April 2, 2001). "BASEBALL; Subdued Mets Share in Loss Of Player With Major Future". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ TYLER KEPNER (April 1, 2001). "BASEBALL; Cole, a Top Mets Prospect, Killed in Driving Accident". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ "DEATH WRECKS MET SPRING PLAYERS MOURNING LOSS OF TOP PROSPECT0". NY Daily News. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "Brian Cole's family wins $131 million suit". ESPN.com. September 2, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "Tragedy haunts New York Mets in suit over prospect Brian Cole's 2001 death". NY Daily News. January 26, 2010. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ RAFAEL HERMOSO (February 25, 2003). "BASEBALL; A Teammate Remembers". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)