How would you like it if as a ballplayer the main reason your obituary was noteworthy was because you seriously injured someone during a game? Well, there are those who think it wouldn’t matter to you because you are, you know, dead.
But I’m guessing if Jack Hamilton had not inadvertently beaned Tony Conigliaro, the young slugger for the Boston Red Sox, in 1967, we wouldn’t really be reading about his passing. Here’s his obit by Richard Goldstein in today’s NY Times. (The only other player I can think of in similar straits was Carl Mays, the submarining hurler then with the NY Yankees whose pitch killed Cleveland Indians infielder Ray Chapman in 1920. Here’s Mays’ obituary from the Times in 1971.)
Hamilton, who pitched for six teams over a career than spanned eight seasons (1962-69), died Feb. 22 at the age of 79. He compiled a lifetime record of 32-40 during his stints with the Phillies, Tigers, Mets, Angels, Indians, and White Sox, leaving the Majors at the age of 30.
Few fans of that era will forget the horrific photo of Conigliaro’s face, post-HBP. Needless to say, his biographies — including Tony C: The Triumph and Tragedy of Tony Conigliaro
is available on Amazon.com,
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