I can not believe it has been fifteen years. It still seems like yesterday when Cleveland Indians baseball came to a screeching halt before the 1993 season even began.
March 22, 1993 will always harbor horrifying memories for Indians' fans or anyone hearing details of the boating accident on Little Lake Nellie killing Cleveland Indians' pitchers Tim Crews and Steve Olin and critically injuring Bob Ojeda.
The team was given a day off. Tim Crews invited a number of his teammates and their families over to his ranch for a day to relax and hang out.
Later in the day, Tim, Steve, and Bob went out on the Lake. Crews circled the lake once and as he made another trip around, no one ever imagined what would happen next. Life for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Team, their families, and everyone on Little Lake Nellie the night of the fateful boat crash was changed forever.
The boat crashed into a dock. Steve Olin died instantly from head and chest injuries. Tim Crews was airlifted to an area hospital but passed away the next morning. Bob Ojeda sustained severe scalp injuries and lived.
Ojeda physically recovered and made a very heroic comeback. His first game back emotional for everyone in the stands. My family happened to be in Baltimore for this game. The actual baseball game secondary to what we were about to witness. Sandy Alomar, who had been injured for much of the season, came off the disabled list and got a rousing ovation. And then there was not a dry eye in the ballpark. Bob Ojeda pitched in his first game since that fateful night. I cry just thinking about this momentous occasion in my personal history. The deafening ovation seemed to last forever. His courage to overcome physical ailments as well as the mental anguish of the accident is an inspiration to all.
Though the accident was over two thousand miles away, obviously THE big story back here in Cleveland.
I was on the desk that ominous night. It was after the news so I literally was the only person in the newsroom. When I got the information that there had been a boating accident and it may have involved Cleveland Indians' Players, I immediately started working the story. You don't have time to think of 'what just happened.' You have to react, confirm, get the facts, and beat the competition to the punch.
I contacted my sports director, Jim Donovan, who was actually in FLA covering Spring Training. He and his crew were hearing rumblings and were making checks on their end.
I continued working the phones, talking to our affiliates to get their spin and give them what information I had, looking up background information, compiling a list of contact names and numbers needed to continue this breaking news story...
It made for a very long night which did not end until the next day when my boss sent me home to grab a bite to eat, a shower, and grab an hour of sleep before I had to come back to work.
It was not until I got in my car, began driving home, did I have time to think about what 'really happened.' I cried the whole way home.
March 22, 1993 will always harbor horrifying memories for Indians' fans or anyone hearing details of the boating accident on Little Lake Nellie killing Cleveland Indians' pitchers Tim Crews and Steve Olin and critically injuring Bob Ojeda.
The team was given a day off. Tim Crews invited a number of his teammates and their families over to his ranch for a day to relax and hang out.
Later in the day, Tim, Steve, and Bob went out on the Lake. Crews circled the lake once and as he made another trip around, no one ever imagined what would happen next. Life for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Team, their families, and everyone on Little Lake Nellie the night of the fateful boat crash was changed forever.
The boat crashed into a dock. Steve Olin died instantly from head and chest injuries. Tim Crews was airlifted to an area hospital but passed away the next morning. Bob Ojeda sustained severe scalp injuries and lived.
Ojeda physically recovered and made a very heroic comeback. His first game back emotional for everyone in the stands. My family happened to be in Baltimore for this game. The actual baseball game secondary to what we were about to witness. Sandy Alomar, who had been injured for much of the season, came off the disabled list and got a rousing ovation. And then there was not a dry eye in the ballpark. Bob Ojeda pitched in his first game since that fateful night. I cry just thinking about this momentous occasion in my personal history. The deafening ovation seemed to last forever. His courage to overcome physical ailments as well as the mental anguish of the accident is an inspiration to all.
Though the accident was over two thousand miles away, obviously THE big story back here in Cleveland.
I was on the desk that ominous night. It was after the news so I literally was the only person in the newsroom. When I got the information that there had been a boating accident and it may have involved Cleveland Indians' Players, I immediately started working the story. You don't have time to think of 'what just happened.' You have to react, confirm, get the facts, and beat the competition to the punch.
I contacted my sports director, Jim Donovan, who was actually in FLA covering Spring Training. He and his crew were hearing rumblings and were making checks on their end.
I continued working the phones, talking to our affiliates to get their spin and give them what information I had, looking up background information, compiling a list of contact names and numbers needed to continue this breaking news story...
It made for a very long night which did not end until the next day when my boss sent me home to grab a bite to eat, a shower, and grab an hour of sleep before I had to come back to work.
It was not until I got in my car, began driving home, did I have time to think about what 'really happened.' I cried the whole way home.
No comments:
Post a Comment